The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is considering withdrawing 25,000 to 40,000 U.S. troops stationed in Europe, NBC News reported on the 18th (local time), citing multiple current and former officials.

According to the report, General Alexus Grynkewich, commander of the U.S. European Command, submitted this review report to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on the same day.

General Grynkewich also serves as the Supreme Allied Commander Europe for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Currently, about 80,000 U.S. troops are deployed in Europe.

Withdrawing 25,000 to 40,000 personnel would mean a reduction of roughly one-third to half of the U.S. force.

This would mark the largest reduction since the end of the Cold War in the 1990s.

The withdrawing forces would span the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and aircraft, vessels, and weapons deployed by the U.S. in Europe would also be subject to reduction in accordance with the troop cuts.

Countries expected to be primarily affected by the U.S. troop reductions include Germany, which hosts the largest contingent with 36,000 troops, as well as Italy with 12,000 troops, and Spain, which serves as a hub for the U.S. Air Force and Navy.

These are countries that U.S. President Donald Trump has pointed to as uncooperative or critical regarding support for the war in Iran.

The report received by Secretary Hegseth also includes a plan to redeploy some forces within Europe to NATO's eastern flank countries.

The final recommendation will be submitted on November 6 and finalized following a report to President Trump.

This report follows the "European Posture Review" initiated in July under the policy of altering the U.S. troop deployment method in a way that increases NATO's accountability.

It was interpreted as an objective to effectively pressure European NATO members to increase defense spending while reducing the scale of the U.S. military presence.

Previously, Secretary Hegseth announced at a NATO defense ministers meeting in June that this review would be conducted for six months, noting that discussions would also be held with the U.S. Congress, which has stipulated a minimum size for U.S. forces in Europe (76,000 troops) through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Subsequently, Deputy Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby announced the start of the review, stating, "This is a practical process to move Europe quickly and irreversibly toward taking primary responsibility for conventional defense."

The NDAA prohibits the Department of Defense from using certain funds if U.S. troop levels in Europe fall below the minimum size or if major U.S. military bases, facilities, and assets are disposed of.

However, the NDAA can be bypassed by explaining the move as "rotational deployment" or "temporary relocation" rather than the withdrawal of permanent garrison forces.

In fact, when 5,000 U.S. troops in Germany were cut last May under President Trump's directive, it was explained as part of a rotational deployment.

Regardless of the form, the direction to reduce the capabilities of U.S. forces in Europe seems certain, and NBC pointed out that security concerns could heighten at a time when signs of Russian military provocations against European countries are becoming increasingly clear.

Acts of sabotage, cyberattacks, assassinations, and drone operations have continued across Europe, including in Germany, Poland, and Latvia, and Russia has been identified as the behind-the-scenes actor seeking to weaken NATO nations' military aid to Ukraine.

NBC also reported that there are signs of differences in stance between the Department of Defense and the Department of State within the U.S. over the reduction of forces stationed in Europe.

Ahead of the June NATO defense ministers meeting, the U.S. Department of Defense planned to notify defense ministers of various countries about plans to reduce tens of thousands of troops stationed in Europe, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly blocked it.

Current and former officials noted that the State Department has continued to try to get involved in the issue of reducing U.S. troops in Europe, but the Defense Department is pushing ahead, maintaining that it is purely a military matter rather than a diplomatic one.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)