US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth abruptly cancelled two US army deployments to Europe and ordered the elimination of different personnel from the continent, in accordance with two defence officers, in a collection of strikes meant to cut back the variety of US troops following criticism by President Donald Trump about help from European allies.
A memo signed by Hegseth abruptly halted the scheduled deployment of 2nd Armoured Brigade Fight Staff, 1st Cavalry Division, which was anticipated to rotate by Poland and different nations together with the Baltic states and Romania, the 2 defence officers stated.
Some personnel from the brigade have been already in Europe and now should redeploy again to the US.
The memo additionally cancelled the long run deployment to Germany of a battalion that specialises in firing long-range rockets and missiles, the defence officers stated, and has directed {that a} command in Europe overseeing these capabilities be faraway from the continent.
The cancellation of scheduled rotations and deployments might be a strategy to work across the logistical challenges of shortly withdrawing forces who’re completely stationed in Germany, notably these whose households are additionally stationed there, whereas nonetheless bringing numbers down.
There are roughly 4700 troopers within the brigade fight workforce whose deployment to Europe has been cancelled, and over 500 troopers within the long-range rocket and missile battalion, one of many defence officers stated.
As of 2025 there have been roughly 38,000 US troops in Germany, in accordance with the Council on International Relations, and 80,000 troops in Europe general.
