NATO Commander Confirms US Withdrawing 5,000 Troops from Europe, More Reductions Expected

May 19, 2026

General Alexus Grynkewich confirmed on May 19, 2026, that the US is withdrawing 5,000 troops from Europe, including canceling a planned rotation of an armored brigade combat team of more than 4,000 soldiers to Poland. The NATO commander indicated additional withdrawals should be expected as European allies strengthen defense capabilities, citing the Canada-led Multinational Brigade in Latvia as fully operational and Germany building a brigade in Lithuania.

US troop withdrawal from Europe

▪The Pentagon will withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany.
▪The Pentagon canceled a planned rotation of an armored brigade combat team of more than 4,000 soldiers to Poland.
▪The United States is withdrawing a total of 5,000 troops from Europe.
▪The redeployment of U.S. troops from Europe will be an ongoing process for several years.
▪The Pentagon is planning to redeploy additional minor elements accounting for another several hundred troops from Europe.
▪The Pentagon canceled the deployment of a long-range fires battalion to Europe.

European defense capability buildup

▪The Baltic countries have built up their ground combat power since 2022.
▪The Canada-led Multinational Brigade in Latvia is fully operational.
▪Poland has built up its ground combat power since 2022.
▪Germany is building up a brigade in Lithuania.

NATO regional defense planning

▪Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. Alexus Grynkewich held a press conference in Brussels on May 19, 2026, following a meeting of NATO military chiefs.
▪NATO members agreed to spending commitments in 2025 in The Hague.
▪Adm. Pierre Vandier serves as Supreme Allied Commander Transformation.
▪Gen. Alexus Grynkewich serves as both the commander of U.S. European Command and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
▪The U.S. decision to redeploy the armored brigade combat team does not impact the executability of NATO's regional plans, according to Gen. Alexus Grynkewich.

Future warfare requirements

▪The conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have shown war is now shaped by speed, mass, software, drones, electronic warfare, space and data.
▪NATO needs more missiles, artillery shells, air defense, high-end capabilities and stockpiles, according to Adm. Pierre Vandier.
▪The decisive question for NATO is the force mix of combining ships, aircraft and tanks with robots, drones, sensors, software and new effectors, according to Adm. Pierre Vandier.

Perspective of NATO military leadership

▪The U.S. decision to redeploy the armored brigade combat team does not impact the executability of NATO's regional plans, according to Gen. Alexus Grynkewich.
▪NATO needs more missiles, artillery shells, air defense, high-end capabilities and stockpiles, according to Adm. Pierre Vandier.