Romania's Defence Minister stated that the United States would reduce its troop presence on NATO's eastern flank, specifically in Romania. One US brigade at the Mihai Kogalniceanu airbase is to be rotated out and not replaced, reducing the US troop count in Romania from approximately 1,700 to between 900 and 1,000. This decision, conveyed by US counterpart Pete Hegseth, is linked to a shift in US attention towards the Indo-Pacific region and new priorities of the Trump presidential administration. Other US troop locations in Romania, such as Deveselu and Campia Turzii bases, will remain unchanged. Other NATO allies, including Poland, have reported no information regarding similar reductions.
Troop Reduction Details
Romanian Defence Minister Ionut Mosteanu reported that the US intends to reduce some of its troops stationed on NATO's eastern flank. Mosteanu specified that one US brigade at the Mihai Kogalniceanu airbase, designated as NATO's largest in Europe, would be rotated out and not replaced. This reduction will decrease the number of US troops in Romania from approximately 1,700 to between 900 and 1,000 personnel.
Mosteanu also stated that the brigade includes "elements" in Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary. Information regarding potential US troop reductions in these other countries was not provided. The presence of US troops at Romania's Deveselu and Campia Turzii bases will not change.
On Wednesday, Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz stated that Poland had no information concerning a possible reduction of US troops on its territory. The Pentagon has been approached for comment.
Context and Rationale
Romania's defence ministry described the decision as expected and attributed the "resizing" of US forces to new priorities of the Trump presidential administration. Mosteanu reported that US counterpart Pete Hegseth informed Europeans about the need for greater attention to their own defence, citing a US shift in focus towards the Indo-Pacific region.
Since January, US President Donald Trump has indicated a desire to shift the focus of US military commitment from Europe to the Indo-Pacific region. He has also urged European NATO members to assume more responsibility for the continent's defence.
NATO's Response and Broader US Presence
Following the announcement from Bucharest, a NATO official affirmed that Washington's commitment to the NATO alliance was "clear" and described adjustments as "not unusual." The official added that even with this adjustment, the US force posture in Europe is larger than it has been for many years, with more US forces on the continent than before 2022. As of late last year, the US had over 100,000 military personnel deployed in Europe.
Last month, NATO announced the establishment of "Eastern Sentry," a mission intended to enhance the alliance's vigilance along the eastern flank. This announcement followed an incident where Russian drones entered Polish airspace. Subsequently, Romania reported a Russian drone breach of its airspace, and Estonia reported violations by Russian warplanes.