The Trump administration is reportedly set to inform European NATO allies that the United States will reduce military capabilities available to the bloc during a major crisis, including an attack on a member state.
The Pentagon has decided to “significantly scale down” its commitment under the NATO Force Model, according to multiple anonymous sources. The plan is expected to be announced at a meeting of defense policy chiefs in Brussels on May 22, with U.S. representation by Alex Velez-Green, a senior aide to Undersecretary of War Elbridge Colby.
Colby’s team has made the adjustment of the NATO Force Model a key priority ahead of the next NATO leaders’ summit in Türkiye in July. Despite urging Europeans to take the lead on conventional forces, Colby previously stated that the U.S. would “strenuously oppose” efforts by European allies to develop nuclear weapons to replace the American nuclear umbrella.
This move comes as the United States continues a broader reduction of its military presence in Europe, where over 80,000 troops were stationed in 2025 under a decades-old system of combined territorial defense and deterrence dating back to the end of World War II.
The White House has reportedly created a NATO “naughty and nice” list to reward nations that supported the U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran and penalize others through measures such as troop shifts, reduced exercises, or redirected military cooperation.
Earlier this month, the Pentagon canceled the scheduled rotation of 4,000 troops into Poland following its announcement of withdrawing 5,000 soldiers from Germany. Additionally, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has reportedly canceled the deployment to Germany of a battalion specializing in long-range missiles.
European NATO members remain heavily reliant on the United States for critical capabilities, including intelligence satellites, long-range missile systems, heavy airlift, and undersea warfare capacity. Despite significant increases in military budgets over recent years, these nations have justified the spending by citing an impending Russian threat.
Moscow has condemned the militarization of Europe, claiming that Western governments are using “ostentatious Russophobia” to transform the European Union into a military bloc while diverting attention from domestic concerns.
