Pete Hegseth has halted a planned U.S. troop deployment to Poland, deepening concerns among European allies that the Trump administration is accelerating a broader military pullback from the continent at a time of heightened tensions with Russia and ongoing instability across NATO's eastern flank.
The canceled deployment, involving the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Cavalry Division, comes just days after the Pentagon confirmed plans to withdraw thousands of American troops from Germany and months after a separate reduction of forces in Romania. Together, the moves point to what U.S. military officials and European diplomats increasingly describe as a strategic realignment away from long-standing American force commitments in Europe.
According to reporting from The New York Times, a memo signed by Hegseth halted the scheduled rotation of roughly 4,000 troops that were expected to operate in Poland and nearby NATO states, including the Baltic region and Romania.
"It was also not immediately clear whether the 4,000 troops assigned to the canceled mission in Poland would count against the drawdown in Germany or be in addition to that," The New York Times reported, citing a Defense Department official who spoke anonymously about operational planning.
That official reportedly said Pentagon discussions currently assume "a net reduction of 5,000 troops between Poland, Germany and possibly other European countries," while cautioning that "internal planning was in flux."
The decision marks another sharp shift in Washington's posture toward NATO allies under President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticized European governments over defense spending, trade disputes and foreign-policy disagreements.
Trump signaled this week that the troop reductions may only be the beginning.
"We're cutting a lot further than 5,000," Trump told reporters regarding the German drawdown, according to The New York Times. The president also reportedly threatened additional troop reductions in Italy and Spain, arguing those governments had failed to support the administration's broader objectives related to the U.S. confrontation with Iran.
The Germany withdrawal announcement itself followed a public clash between Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who accused Washington of being "humiliated" during negotiations tied to the Iran conflict.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell framed the broader force reductions as part of a strategic reassessment rather than a political dispute.
"The Secretary of War has ordered the withdrawal of approximately 5,000 troops from Germany," Parnell said in a statement. "This decision follows a thorough review of the Department's force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground."
Parnell added that the Germany withdrawal would likely unfold "over the next six to twelve months."
The Poland cancellation appears to extend beyond conventional troop rotations.
According to The New York Times, Hegseth's directive also "cancel[ed] the future deployment to Germany of a battalion that specializes in firing long-range rockets and missiles" and ordered that a command structure overseeing those capabilities be removed from Europe altogether.
Military analysts say such changes could reshape NATO's deterrence posture along its eastern flank, where U.S. armored formations and missile systems have played a central role since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
European officials, however, have attempted to publicly downplay the implications.
Poland's defense minister wrote on social media that "this issue does not concern Poland" and argued that expanding Polish military capabilities, combined with the continued American presence already stationed there, would continue to strengthen NATO defenses.
A NATO official, also speaking anonymously about operational matters, told The New York Times that the alliance's deterrence plans remained intact despite the U.S. reductions. The official noted that Canada and Germany had already expanded deployments in Eastern Europe to offset some of the changes.
Still, the cancellations have unsettled officials across Europe who worry Washington may be gradually retreating from the continent at a moment when NATO governments remain focused on Russia, defense spending and long-term security guarantees.
Several American personnel connected to the canceled Poland mission had reportedly already arrived in Europe and are now expected to redeploy back to the United States.
