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The US will pull 200 military personnel from Nato and its advisory groups, as the Pentagon moves to reduce its presence in Europe, according to a US official and two people familiar with the matter.
The reduction had been planned for months, the US official said, but comes amid escalating tensions between Washington and Europe as President Donald Trump insists the US must control Greenland.
Trump has not ruled out taking the vast Arctic island using military force. Asked on Tuesday how far he would be willing to go in his pursuit of Greenland, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, he said: “You’ll find out.”
Trump’s aggressive statements about a territory belonging to an allied nation has rattled European capitals. Any military action from Washington would cause a significant rupture within Nato.
The Pentagon would withdraw the personnel slowly by not replacing them at the end of their postings, the people said.
News of the pullback was first reported by The Washington Post.
Officials at Nato’s headquarters were not concerned about the drawback since it is small and Washington gave the group plenty of lead time, according to one of the people familiar with the matter.
“This is a measured reduction, and reflects the progress Nato allies have made in assuming greater responsibility for their own defence, since President Trump has taken office,” said the US official.
The Pentagon and White House did not respond to a request for comment.
There were almost 80,000 US troops in Europe as of December, according to US European Command. That figure fluctuates regularly depending on rotations and planned exercises. Since 2022, the numbers have varied between 75,000 and 105,000.
“Adjustments to US force posture and staffing are not unusual,” said a Nato official, adding: “America’s presence in Europe remains larger than it has been for many years.”
Asked on Tuesday if the break-up of Nato is a price he was willing to pay for acquiring Greenland, Trump said: “I think something’s going to happen that’s going to be very good for everybody . . . I think that we will work something out where Nato is going to be very happy, and where we’re going to be very happy.”
He added that he has had “such a good relationship” with Nato and that while the alliance “has been good” it is “overrated” sometimes.
“Whether you like it or not, [Nato is] only as good as we are,” Trump said. “If Nato doesn’t have us, Nato is not very strong.”
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