The Department of War announced Tuesday that it will reduce the number of troops present in Europe.
The total number of brigade combat teams has been cut from four to three, according to the Department of War press release. Some defense experts told the Daily Caller News Foundation the move could be viewed as retaliation from President Donald Trump against European Union officials.
Each brigade combat team contains over 4,000 soldiers, artillery and numerous heavy weapons, according to the U.S. Congressional Budget Office.
One defense analyst told the DCNF that this could be perceived as a reaction to Europe’s recent stance toward the U.S. military.
“It sends a message that if you cross/insult President Trump, you do so at your country’s potential peril,” Brookings’ Director of Research on Foreign Policy Michael O’Hanlon told the DCNF. “It doesn’t make much sense except as an act of retaliation against Merz [the Chancellor of Germany]. But it shouldn’t hurt deterrence since it involves modest numbers of troops and not only the Eastern flank.”
Trump has been openly critical of the European Union in the past, straining relations.
“The European Union was formed in order to screw the United States,” Trump said during the first cabinet meeting of his second term on Feb. 26, 2025. “That’s the purpose of it. And they’ve done a good job of it. But now I’m the president.”
European officials have also retaliated against comments of this nature from Trump.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the U.S. was being “humiliated” by Iran and warned that Washington lacked a clear exit strategy from the conflict, according to the Financial Times.
The announcement stated that this new development would delay the deployment of U.S. forces to Poland.
The Department of War will manage U.S. forces in Europe based on further analysis of U.S. strategic and operational requirements and our allies’ own ability to contribute forces, according to the press release.
The Polish Embassy in Washington and NATO did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
‘The Administration Has Warned Europe’
“The message it sends to NATO allies is that the Trump administration is making good on its promise to shift responsibility for Europe’s conventional defense to Europe,” Defense Priorities’ Director Of Military Analysis Jennifer Kavanagh told the DCNF. “The administration has warned Europe for over a year now that changes were coming and this move should not be a surprise.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth spoke with Polish Deputy Prime Minister Kosiniak-Kamysz on Tuesday to “ensure that the United States retains a strong military presence in Poland,” according to the press release.
“The Trump administration expects Europe to take responsibility for its conventional defense and plans to reduce its military posture in Europe accordingly over coming years,” Kavanagh told the DCNF.
One unit delayed en route to Poland was a Texas-based brigade combat team, The Washington Post reported, citing Hegseth.
“This analysis is designed to advance President Trump’s America First agenda in Europe and other theaters, including by incentivizing and enabling our NATO allies to take primary responsibility for Europe’s conventional defense,” the Department of War press release states.
“Yes, the Pentagon should correct a terrible decision and deploy the brigade to Poland,” Rep. Don Bacon said in a statement to the DCNF. “The decision communicates weakness to Russia and to our Allies. It hurts deterrence. Congress should intervene and prevent the unilateral withdrawals from Europe with no concessions from Russia.”
“It’s difficult to discern a clear message as the Pentagon has not been clear about its strategy,” Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation Communications Director Anna Schumann told the DCNF. “It could be that forces were needed elsewhere, but it’s difficult to speculate. Normally, decisions like this are made after consultation with Allies; that didn’t happen, so the motives remain opaque.”
“Congress has a constitutional oversight role that this Congress has largely abandoned,” Schumann said. “Congress could start by holding hearings to clarify the strategy behind these decisions, followed by legislation to support U.S. interests.”
The U.S. Constitution gives Congress broad authority over the military, including the power to raise and support armies, provide and maintain a navy, and make rules for the government and regulation of U.S. land and naval forces, according to Article I, Section 8, of the U.S. Constitution. One expert said Congress needs to begin asserting this power.
Although a reduced troop presence decreases U.S. military readiness in the region, not all experts are concerned about a possible threat from Russia.
“They [NATO allies] are capable of offsetting U.S. posture changes if they decide this is necessary for their security,” Kavanagh told the DCNF. “My view is that it is not necessary. Russia poses a limited threat to Europe and has no intent to attack.”
“I heard from a senior Polish leader who has inside knowledge that Poland was blindsided by the Secretary of Defense,” Bacon told the DCNF. “This was poor diplomacy.”
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