U.S. to Cut Fighter Jets, Bombers, Warships for NATO Crisis Response
The Pentagon plans to drastically cut fighter jets, bombers and naval vessels committed to NATO, forcing European allies to fill capability gaps in the alliance's defense framework.
According to Breitbart News, a senior Defense Department official briefed European partners on the planned cuts during a closed-door meeting at NATO headquarters in Brussels last week, outlining a significant pullback from America’s military commitments to the transatlantic alliance.
The reductions will fundamentally reshape the NATO Force Model, the operational blueprint for defending Europe that was established in 2022 following Russia’s military operation in Ukraine. The planned drawdown reportedly caught European officials off guard despite President Donald Trump‘s repeated warnings that NATO member states have failed to meet their defense spending obligations or demonstrate their value as American allies.
Alexander Velez-Green, representing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, informed NATO partners that Washington intends to slash its contributions to the alliance’s pool of rapidly deployable military assets across multiple domains, according to German publication Der Spiegel.
The cuts will affect drones, fighter aircraft, aerial refueling tankers, warships and other critical naval platforms currently earmarked for NATO operations. Strategic bomber commitments face reduction, while fighter jet contributions could drop by roughly one-third, the report indicates.
Velez-Green reportedly emphasized that the United States will maintain close cooperation exclusively with allies that move swiftly to address the force shortfalls created by American withdrawal. NATO officials present at the briefing interpreted the statement as a veiled warning to member states that continued security partnership depends on tangible burden-sharing.
The planned force reductions come as President Trump continues pressing NATO members to increase defense expenditures and take greater responsibility for their own security. The alliance has struggled for years to convince most European members to meet the minimum two percent of GDP defense spending target.
Neither the Pentagon nor the Defense Department has officially confirmed or denied the reported arsenal reduction plans.
With information from Breitbart News
