Trump Plans 20% Reduction in U.S. Troops in Europe
President Donald Trump is preparing to cut America's military presence in Europe by approximately 20%, withdrawing around 20,000 troops, according to a report from Italian news agency ANSA on Thursday, citing a European diplomatic source.
Trump is reportedly pressuring European nations to contribute more financially toward hosting the remaining U.S. forces, arguing that "the costs cannot fall solely on the shoulders of American taxpayers," the source told ANSA.
Negotiations over increased European support for U.S. troops are now in an "active phase," the source added. Trump has repeatedly called on NATO members to spend at least 5% of their GDP on defense, far above the current average of 1.9% among European Union members. European foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has acknowledged that Europe underfunds its military, backing Trump’s assertion that spending levels are too low.
Although the United States remains the world's biggest military spender, the Congressional Budget Office projects that U.S. defense spending as a share of GDP will decline from 2.9% in 2024 to 2.5% by 2034. Historically, the U.S. has averaged 4.2% of GDP on defense over the past 50 years.
The American troop presence in Europe surged to 100,000 after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, marking the highest level since 2005.
