WSJ: Washington Suspends Plan to Reduce US Troops in Europe

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly prepared an additional plan to reduce the number of US troops in Europe before the proposal was ultimately suspended, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal on Thursday.

Hegseth had previously intended to announce the proposal during a meeting of top NATO military officials in Brussels last month.

Citing several sources familiar with the discussions, The Wall Street Journal reported that the reduction plan went beyond the previously announced cancellation of an armoured brigade deployment to Poland and the withdrawal of an infantry brigade from Romania.

However, the proposal was eventually suspended after being shared with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also serves as National Security Advisor to President Donald Trump, along with several other senior officials.

According to the report, Hegseth originally intended to inform NATO military chiefs that the United States was preparing for further troop reductions in the European region.

Last May, the administration of President Donald Trump announced plans to withdraw approximately 5,000 US military personnel from Europe.