The Trump administration plans to reduce the number of fighter jets stationed in Europe for NATO operations by one-third, according to a report by The New York Times citing two senior European officials. This move comes as President Trump has consistently criticized European nations for their low defense spending, arguing they are taking advantage of U.S. security support.
The report indicates that the U.S. intends to cut the number of F-16 and F-15E fighter jets in Europe from approximately 150 to about 100. Additionally, the number of maritime reconnaissance aircraft will be reduced from 26 to 15, and all eight aerial refueling aircraft currently deployed will be withdrawn.
The U.S. also plans to redeploy one missile-launching submarine and one aircraft carrier stationed in Europe, along with accompanying warships and aircraft. Furthermore, one of the two bomber groups originally sent for European defense may also be reassigned, according to The New York Times.
Last week, the U.S. European Command stated it would "rightsize" its contributions to NATO. Reuters also reported last month that the U.S. plans to scale back its military capabilities available to allies in the event of a major crisis.
President Trump has argued that European countries are overly reliant on U.S. defense and should increase their defense budgets to take more responsibility for their own security. He has urged allies in Europe and Asia to raise their defense spending to 3.5% of their respective gross domestic products (GDP).
* This article has been translated by AI.
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