Azernews.Az

AzerNEWS Staff

Read more

The United States is expected to scale back its military presence in Europe less significantly than initially anticipated, with the planned reduction likely to affect approximately 5,000 troops.

The Trump administration could reduce the number of American troops stationed in Europe to around 80,000. European leaders had previously expressed concerns about the possibility of much deeper cuts to the US military presence on the continent.

Washington and its allies had earlier discussed withdrawing as many as 25,000 American service members. However, a reduction of approximately 5,000 troops is now considered the most likely scenario.

One of the main reasons behind Washington's decision to avoid more substantial cuts is the strategic and logistical importance of US forces stationed in Europe amid prolonged tensions with Iran. These forces play an important role in supporting American military operations in the Middle East.

Another factor influencing the administration's position is the increased defence spending of other NATO members, which has reportedly helped ease concerns within the White House about the distribution of security responsibilities across the alliance.

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to submit a final report to President Donald Trump by December 1, outlining the proposed changes to American troop deployments in Europe.