The Pentagon has begun a review of the U.S. military presence in Europe

On 18 June, during a meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth announced a six-month review of the American presence in Europe.

“To ensure the success of the NATO 3.0 project, I am today announcing a six-month review by the Department of War. (…) This review will be conducted with input from the United States Armed Forces, including European Command. It will involve consultations with the US Congress and our allies,” said US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth in Brussels in June.

Less than a month and a half later, the Pentagon – in the person of Colby – announced the formal commencement of this process. The primary objective of the review, as indicated by the co-author of the US National Defence Strategy and National Security Strategy, is to ensure that NATO accelerates work on European states assuming primary responsibility for their own conventional defence. In a post on the X platform, Colby also pointed out that the review is being carried out to ensure that the engagement of nations within the North Atlantic Alliance is more balanced.

Colby once again mentioned the need to implement the NATO 3.0 concept, which is a modernised version of what the North Atlantic Alliance was during the Cold War. The tweet also contained information that the recently launched presence review is intended to ensure that US troops better align with the objectives of the National Security Strategy and the National Defence Strategy.

At the end of Colby’s posts, there is a further announcement. “I look forward to working closely with General Alexus Grynkewich, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, on this key undertaking. We also look forward to further extensive consultations on this important initiative with our allies in Europe, Congress, and other parts of the US government,” the Pentagon representative concluded.