Viral social media posts have been circulating with the claim that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a complete withdrawal of American troops from Europe. The posts, which have garnered over a million views on X, feature a clip of Rubio speaking to Fox News and argue that the US spends $60 billion annually to station 100,000 troops in Europe, a cost they say is unjustified given Europe's lack of support during the Strait of Hormuz crisis. They also assert that NATO's dissolution is a "done deal."
However, a closer look at the full interview reveals a more nuanced picture. Rubio did not announce a total withdrawal. Instead, he expressed frustration with NATO allies, stating that once the Strait of Hormuz crisis is resolved, Washington will reexamine the value of the alliance. "When we need them to allow us to use their military bases, their answer is no? Then why are we in NATO?" Rubio said. He added that the US must question why it has "billions and billions of dollars, hundreds of billions of dollars, over the years trillions of dollars, and all these American forces stationed in the region" if it cannot use those bases when needed.
The official transcript of the interview, published by the US Department of State, contains no mention of a full troop withdrawal. Fox News also published the complete video on its website on 1 April, and again, Rubio does not call for removing all personnel from Europe.
Planned Reductions, Not a Full Pullout
While a complete withdrawal is not on the table, the US has been reducing its military footprint in Europe. The Pentagon announced in May that it would remove 5,000 troops from bases in Germany, followed by a decision to cancel the deployment of 4,000 troops to Poland. Currently, around 36,000 US troops are stationed in Germany, with approximately 80,000 across Europe as a whole.
In an interview on Euronews' Europe Today show, NATO senior military advisor Colonel Martin O'Donnell confirmed that the US is planning major cuts to the number of troops available to Europe in the event of an invasion or war. He explained that these cuts are part of an ongoing engagement between US and NATO military strategists, and that the areas where the US will draw back its commitments map directly onto regions where European countries have increased their own capabilities and defence investment.
However, the US is legally constrained in how many troops it can withdraw. Section 1249 of the National Defense Authorisation Act for 2026 stipulates that the Pentagon cannot use its budget to reduce troop levels in Europe below 76,000 for more than 45 days unless certain conditions are met. Additionally, major troop withdrawals require a waiting period and congressional approval, meaning any significant reduction would not happen immediately.
These developments come amid months of criticism from US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly claimed that NATO allies are not contributing enough. Trump's threats against fellow members Canada and Denmark have prompted many European countries to accelerate their defence spending. Yet it is inaccurate to suggest that NATO only benefits Europe. The US has been the only member state to trigger Article 5, the alliance's mutual defence clause, which it did after the 9/11 attacks.
For a deeper look at how European nations are responding to shifting US security commitments, read our coverage of the NATO ministers' summit in Sweden and the planned reduction in US military capabilities available to allies.
