The Pentagon on Tuesday said that it was reducing the number of US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs) in Europe from three to four, DW reports.
The chief Pentagon spokesman, Sean Parnell, said in a statement that the US was reducing the number of its soldiers on the continent as a result of a "comprehensive, multilayered process" focused on US posture in Europe.
A BCT comprises 4,000 to 4,700 personnel, according to a congressional report.
The cut brings US soldiers stationed on the continent to 2021 levels, Parnell said. The US sent additional troops to Europe after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The latest announcement is in line with US President Donald Trump's broader policy toward Europe.
Since returning to the White House last year, Trump has made clear that he expects European countries to take over more responsibility for the continent's security from the US.
The urgency of the matter has been exacerbated by several blows to the transatlantic relationship, most notably Trump's attempt totake control of the Arctic island of Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark.
Parnell said that the decision to reduce US troops is "designed to advance President Trump's America First agenda in Europe and other theaters, including by incentivizing and enabling our NATO allies to take primary responsibility for Europe’s conventional defense."
