US begins review of force presence in Europe
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth attends a Mexican Border Defense Medal Ceremony at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on July 27, 2026. (Photo by Annabelle GORDON / AFP)
The United States began reviewing its military presence in Europe on July 27, officials said, after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told his NATO counterparts last month that Washington was planning such an analysis.
“As the Secretary [Hegseth] laid out then, this will be a real review, designed to ensure that NATO is moving fast and irreversibly toward Europe taking primary responsibility for its conventional defense,” U.S. Defense Under Secretary Elbridge Colby wrote on X.
“The outcome of this Review will be an acceleration of NATO’s transition to a stronger, more equitable, and sustainable alliance,” Colby added.
