The Pentagon reportedly plans to “significantly scale down” the size of forces that Europe can rely on during a conflict.

According to multiple sources, President Donald Trump’s administration is set to inform European NATO members that the United States will reduce military capabilities available to the bloc in the event of a major crisis, including an attack on a member state.

Although the composition of forces assigned under the NATO Force Model remains classified, the Pentagon has decided to “significantly scale down” its commitment. The adjustment is expected to be announced at a meeting of defense policy chiefs in Brussels on May 22, with the United States represented by Alex Velez-Green, a senior aide to Undersecretary of War Elbridge Colby.

The change has become a key priority for Colby’s team ahead of the upcoming NATO leaders’ summit in Türkiye in July. Despite urging European nations to take the lead on conventional forces, Colby previously stated that the United States would “strenuously oppose” them in developing nuclear weapons to replace the US nuclear umbrella.

The report comes amid a broader reduction in the U.S. military presence in Europe, where more than 80,000 troops were stationed in 2025 under a decades-old system of combined territorial defense and deterrence that dates back to the end of World War II.

The White House has reportedly developed a NATO “naughty and nice” list to reward allies who supported the U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran and punish others, potentially by shifting troops, scaling back exercises, or redirecting military cooperation.

Earlier this month, the Pentagon canceled the planned rotation of 4,000 troops into Poland following an announcement of the withdrawal of 5,000 soldiers from Germany. Additionally, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has reportedly canceled the deployment to Germany of a battalion specializing in long-range missiles.

European NATO members remain heavily dependent on the United States for critical capabilities, including intelligence satellites, long-range missiles, heavy airlift, and undersea warfare capacity, despite having significantly increased military budgets in recent years citing concerns about an impending Russian threat.

Moscow has condemned the militarization of Europe, arguing that Western governments are using “ostentatious Russophobia” to justify transforming the EU into a military bloc and diverting attention from domestic issues.