Marco Rubio Reportedly Blocked Hegseth Plan to Draw Down Troops in Europe

AP Photo/Evan Vucci

Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly helped block Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth from announcing a reduction of U.S. troops in Europe last month, according to a Thursday exclusive from The Wall Street Journal.

The Journal reported that Hegseth had planned to tell NATO’s top military leaders during a June meeting in Brussels that the Pentagon was preparing another round of force reductions in Europe, in addition to the previously canceled armored brigade rotation to Poland and the withdrawal of an infantry brigade from Romania. But after the proposal was shared with Rubio and other senior administration officials, it was rejected, according to people familiar with the matter.

Instead of unveiling new troop cuts, Hegseth told NATO officials the Pentagon would conduct a review of the U.S. military’s force posture in Europe, a process that could take up to six months.

According to the Journal, the episode highlights ongoing disagreements inside the Trump administration over the “pace and scope” of reducing the American military presence on the continent. As noted by the outlet, President Donald Trump has repeatedly argued that European allies should bear more of the burden for their own defense, while Hegseth has also pressed NATO members to take on what he has called the “primary responsibility” for defending Europe.

Yet, the report also noted that Hegseth’s push for deeper troop reductions has alarmed some U.S. allies and members of Congress, including Republicans who worry a rapid pullback could weaken NATO and galvanize Russia. Those concerns have led lawmakers to include language in pending defense legislation that would prohibit the Pentagon from reducing troop levels in Europe below 76,000 without a military risk assessment and certification from Hegseth.

Even Trump was surprised, according to the Journal, when Hegseth canceled Poland’s routine armored brigade in May, calling the defense secretary to ask “why he was treating a valued ally so poorly,” and then announcing he would instead send the country 5,000 troops.

The White House referred questions from the Journal to the Pentagon, and Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell said Hegseth “ensured his message was aligned with the president’s objectives and agenda, and he did not want to impede upon the president’s decision space.”

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