NATO border countries expected military deployments, but they will no longer arrive. Frustration with Europe and in particular with Germany is at the root of the decision
This week, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth abruptly canceled two U.S. military deployments in Europe and ordered the withdrawal of other military personnel from the continent, according to two defense officials. The measure aims to reduce the number of US troops following President Donald Trump’s criticism of support from European allies.
A memo signed by Hegseth abruptly halted the scheduled deployment of the 1st Cavalry Division’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, which was scheduled to rotate to Poland and other countries including the Baltic States and Romania, the two defense officials said. Some soldiers from the brigade were already in Europe and must now return to the USA.
The memo also canceled the future deployment to Germany of a battalion specialized in launching rockets and long-range missiles, Defense officials said, and determined the removal of a command in Europe responsible for these capabilities.
The move comes after Trump criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said the US was being “humiliated” by Iran, while the US president also repeatedly criticized NATO countries for not participating in the war with Iran. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell announced on May 1 that the Pentagon would withdraw around 5,000 troops from Germany, following “a thorough review of the Department’s military presence in Europe”.
Canceling scheduled rotations and deployments could be a way to circumvent the logistical challenges of quickly withdrawing troops permanently stationed in Germany, especially those whose families also reside there, while also reducing the number of military personnel. There are around 4,700 soldiers in the combat brigade whose deployment to Europe was cancelled, and more than 500 soldiers in the long-range missile and rocket battalion, according to a Defense official.
In 2025, there were approximately 38,000 American troops in Germany, according to the Council on Foreign Relations, and 80,000 troops in Europe in total.
Defense Department talking points on the troop level changes, analyzed by CNN, link the decision directly to frustration with Europe and, in particular, Germany, stating that European citizens “have not stepped up when the United States needs them” and that “recent rhetoric toward Germany has been inappropriate and counterproductive.”
“The president is reacting correctly to these counterproductive statements,” the talking points say. They further state that the decision “will help restore readiness” and send a clear signal that Germany and other allies must assume primary responsibility for the defense of Europe.
The Defense Department declined to comment on deployment cancellations and prepared talking points.
It is unclear how many soldiers from the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team who were already in Europe will now be redeployed to the US. The talking points say the Biden administration “increased the number of American combat brigades” in Europe in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but such a move was “always intended to be temporary.”
The battalion specializing in long-range missiles – the 3rd Battalion of the 12th Field Artillery Regiment – should be sent to Germany later this year and “eventually be stationed in Germany in the coming years”, according to the prepared discussion points.
The announcement of the intention to withdraw troops caused surprise in the Capitol; The Republican chairmen of the Armed Services committees of the House of Representatives and the Senate admitted, in a statement, that they were “very concerned” about the decision.
“Germany responded promptly to President Trump’s call for greater burden sharing by significantly increasing defense spending and providing easier access, basing and overflights for American forces in support of Operation Epic Fury,” said Senator Roger Wicker and Representative Mike Rogers in a joint statement on May 2, following the announcement of the planned troop reduction in Germany.
The Pentagon’s 2026 funding bill called for the U.S. military to have no fewer than 76,000 troops permanently stationed or deployed in Europe for more than 45 days without providing a series of notifications and certifications to Congress about the strategy.
This Thursday, Democratic senator Jeanne Shaheen told journalists that the cancellation of the deployment to Poland “was a surprise”.
“As far as I know, we were not notified about this,” said Shaheen, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“I think it’s a very short-sighted measure,” he said. “It sends the wrong message — wrong message to Vladimir Putin, wrong message to China, wrong message to Iran.” Military officials have made clear that Russia still poses a threat to the United States and its allies in Europe. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, commander of U.S. European Command and NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe, told lawmakers in March that Russia “is a persistent regional adversary capable of threatening the U.S. mainland.”
“Despite significant losses in Ukraine”, Grynkewich also added during a previous hearing, “Russia maintains the capacity and potential to threaten US interests with its vast and increasingly diverse nuclear arsenal, its asymmetric capabilities and its competent land, air and sea forces”.
CNN’s Jennifer Hansler contributed to this report
