NATO Commander Says Further US Troop Reductions Expected in Europe

The Pentagon recently ordered a reduction of 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany, and postponed a planned rotation of 4,000 U.S. troops through Poland.

Flags of NATO members fly at the NATO headquarters in Brussels on Sept. 12, 2025. Simon Wohlfahrt/AFP via Getty Images

The NATO alliance should expect continued U.S. troop withdrawals from Europe, the U.S. general serving as the alliance’s top military official said on May 19.

Speaking at an alliance press conference on Tuesday, U.S. Air Force Gen. Alexus Grynkewich—NATO’s supreme allied commander—detailed ongoing efforts to shift the burden for security in Europe from U.S. forces to more local forces.