The US Department of Defense (Pentagon) has launched a comprehensive review of US military force posture in Europe, aiming to accelerate NATO allies' assumption of primary responsibility for Europe's conventional defense.
The review was announced by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at a NATO ministerial meeting in June. The launch date is disputed: some reports state Monday, while others state Tuesday.
Expected duration of the force posture review.
Elbridge Colby, a former Pentagon official, said on X that the review is 'designed to ensure that NATO is moving fast and irreversibly toward Europe taking primary responsibility.' According to Colby, the review will accelerate NATO's transition toward a 'stronger, more equitable and sustainable' alliance and restore NATO's character as a 'powerful warfighting organization – a NATO 3.0.'
Colby stated that officials will develop a range of options based on strategic analysis and current geopolitical and military conditions. The review will align with the US 2025 National Security Strategy and 2026 National Defense Strategy.
Washington will work with NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, on the review and consult with European allies and Congress, which has mandated a minimum number of US troops in Europe.
NATO is moving fast and irreversibly toward Europe leading, stepping up to take primary responsibility
Hegseth told NATO counterparts in Brussels in June that 'It’s a review that some countries will fail and others will pass with flying colours.' He also slammed European allies for their response to the joint US-Israeli war in Iran, including the refusal to allow US forces access to bases in Europe to launch attacks, and threatened to reduce Washington's NATO financial contribution unless allies reached defence spending targets.
The US has already moved to withdraw soldiers from Germany and reduce contributions to NATO force-planning requirements, including high-end assets. Eastern flank countries are lobbying Washington to maintain troops and military assets on their soil. Poland is actively engaging to obtain a permanent US military presence; its defense ministry said a draft law was ready to finance American military bases.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly lashed out against European allies in the alliance. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the allies had been aware of Washington's plans to pull troops from Europe at some point and emphasised the need for the bloc to take care of its own security. 'We know that we must do more and we are doing it,' Merz said.
European allies and Canada have responded to growing uncertainty by accelerating efforts to strengthen their own defence capabilities. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said NATO must become more European to reduce its reliance on the US security umbrella. 'We cannot continue, as we did, being over-reliant on the United States,' Rutte said. He hailed an 'unparalleled' transformation driven by closer EU-NATO cooperation.