On October 29, 2025, the United States informed its NATO allies that it would be reducing its troop presence along Europe’s eastern border with Ukraine, a move that has sparked concern among European leaders and ignited a heated debate in Washington. The decision, which primarily affects Romania and several other NATO countries along the alliance’s eastern flank, signals a shift in U.S. strategic priorities as the administration turns its focus toward the Indo-Pacific region. Yet, U.S. and NATO officials insist this is not a sign of waning American commitment to European security.
According to Romania’s defense ministry, the U.S. will halt the rotation of a brigade that had elements stationed in several NATO countries, including at the Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base in Romania. The base, which has hosted more than 1,400 U.S. troops and the Army’s Garrison Black Sea, will now see its American presence reduced to about 1,000 soldiers. As recently as April 2025, more than 1,700 U.S. military personnel were estimated to be deployed there. A brigade typically numbers anywhere from 1,500 to 3,000 troops.
Romania’s Defense Minister, Ionut Mosteanu, confirmed in a press conference that the decision reflects Washington’s shift "toward the Indo-Pacific" region. He emphasized, however, that overall allied troop numbers in Romania would remain above the levels seen before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. "Our strategic partnership is solid, predictable, and reliable," Mosteanu assured, according to statements reported by the Associated Press.
The U.S. Army Europe and Africa later clarified that the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division would return to its base in Kentucky as previously planned, with no replacement troops rotating into Europe. In a statement, the command insisted, "This is not an American withdrawal from Europe or a signal of lessened commitment to NATO and Article 5." Article 5 is the alliance’s bedrock collective security guarantee: an attack on one is considered an attack on all 32 member states.
U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker echoed these reassurances in a post on X, writing, "Our strong presence in and enduring commitment to Europe remains steadfast, including support for Eastern Sentry," a NATO operation along the eastern flank. He did not, however, mention the specifics of the troop drawdown.
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, NATO rapidly bolstered its presence on its eastern flank by deploying additional multinational battle groups to Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Slovakia. This build-up was in response to a series of airspace violations by drones, balloons, and Russian aircraft, which have kept regional tensions high. Many more European troops are now stationed in these countries, and NATO officials say this increased presence is what has allowed the U.S. to adjust its own military posture in the region.
"The downsizing of the US forces is an effect of the new priorities of the presidential administration, announced in February," the Romanian government said in a statement. "The decision also took into account the fact that NATO had strengthened its presence and activity on the Eastern Flank, which allows the United States to adjust its military posture in the region."
Yet, not everyone is convinced the move is without risk. Top Republican lawmakers overseeing the military in Congress, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), issued a rare and pointed rebuke of the decision. In a joint statement, they said, "We strongly oppose the decision not to maintain the rotational U.S. brigade in Romania and the Pentagon’s process for its ongoing force posture review that may result in further drawdowns of U.S. forces from Eastern Europe." The pair criticized what they described as a lack of rigorous interagency process, coordination with combatant commanders, and collaboration with Congress, adding, "Unfortunately, this appears to be exactly what is being attempted."
The lawmakers also warned that the decision "sends the wrong signal to Russia at the very moment President Trump is applying pressure to force Vladimir Putin to come to the table to achieve a lasting peace in Ukraine." They called for assurances that the United States would continue to sustain a persistent rotational presence in Poland, the Baltic States, and Romania, and that the two armored brigades in Poland would remain in place.
Despite these criticisms, not all voices in the U.S. security community see the drawdown as a problem. Dan Caldwell, a former senior adviser to the Defense Secretary, argued on social media that the unit being withdrawn was "a light infantry brigade deployed on a rotational basis that was deployed after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 to reinforce NATO’s eastern flank. It was never meant to be a permanent deployment, but of course many wanted it to be."
From the NATO side, officials have sought to downplay the significance of the adjustment. A NATO official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Hill that such changes to U.S. force posture are "not unusual" and that the U.S. presence in Europe "remains larger than it has been for many years, with many more US forces on the continent than before 2022." The official added, "NATO and U.S. authorities are in close contact about our overall posture – to ensure NATO retains our robust capacity to deter and defend."
Government officials in Poland and Lithuania, which lie further north along Europe’s eastern flank, said they had not been informed of any U.S. troop drawdown in their countries. This suggests that the current reduction is focused primarily on Romania and perhaps other southeastern NATO members, rather than a continent-wide retrenchment.
Analysts, however, warn that any perception of weakening U.S. commitment could tempt Russia to test NATO’s resolve, even if only through increased drone incidents or acts of sabotage rather than opening a new military front. Giuseppe Spatafora, a research analyst at the EU Institute for Security Studies, told the Associated Press, "We do know the direction of travel: fewer US troops and assets, and an expectation that Europeans will fill the gap." He cautioned, "Russia could be tempted to test NATO even further, without seeking to open a new front, but checking how the alliance responds."
The U.S. administration, for its part, maintains that this adjustment is a "positive sign of increased European capability and responsibility." As stated by U.S. European Command, "Our NATO allies are meeting President Trump’s call to take primary responsibility for the conventional defense of Europe. This force posture adjustment will not change the security environment in Europe." The U.S. also emphasizes that it retains the ability to rapidly deploy forces to Europe if the security situation deteriorates.
For now, about 1,000 U.S. troops will remain stationed in Romania, continuing to contribute to regional deterrence and security. The Mihail Kogălniceanu Air Base, which has been used by the U.S. military since 1999, will continue to play a key role in NATO’s eastern defenses. While the debate over the wisdom and timing of the U.S. drawdown continues, both American and European officials are adamant that the alliance’s commitment to collective defense remains unshaken.
As the U.S. pivots to new global priorities and NATO assumes greater responsibility for its own defense, the alliance finds itself at a crossroads, balancing deterrence, reassurance, and adaptation in an era of shifting threats and strategic uncertainty.
