US Weighs Shifting Troops From Some NATO Allies: Report

The U.S. is weighing plans to reduce or relocate its military presence in some NATO member states that were seen as slow or unwilling to support its operations during the recent armed conflict with Iran, a U.S. administration official said, according to the report on April 9.

The official said the proposal would involve shifting American forces from countries viewed as less supportive to those that provided greater assistance during the conflict, the report added

It remains unclear how advanced the discussions are or which specific countries could be affected if the plan is implemented.

The consideration follows criticism from senior U.S. officials over restrictions on the use of joint military bases in Europe during the conflict. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio questioned the rationale behind maintaining troop deployments in allied countries if operational access is limited.

Trump has repeatedly voiced frustration with NATO’s response to the Iran conflict. In a Truth Social post after meeting NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on Wednesday, he wrote: “NATO wasn’t there when we needed them, and they won’t be there if we need them again.”

The issue of allied support was also raised by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who acknowledged that some member states were initially slow to respond, partly due to the unexpected nature of the war. However, he stressed that European allies ultimately played a crucial role in enabling U.S. power projection.