US plans to cut bombers, firefighters and warships available to Europe in time of war: report

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The US is set to reduce the number of bombers, fighter jets and warships available to NATO allies during times of crisis, according to a new report.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth informed senior NATO officials in Brussels last week that the US would shrink its available resources for the bloc, including cutting the number of strategic bombers by half, German news outlet Spiegel reported.

The number of US fighter jets deployed would be cut by a third, American envoy Alexander Velez-Green told NATO members, according to the outlet.

An American Rockwell B-1B Lancer bomber stands on the tarmac at Ramstein Airbase dpa/picture alliance via Getty Images
A member of the U.S. Army 7th Army Training Command, clad in black in the role of opposition force, pilots a DJI Matrice drone. Getty Images

The US Navy reportedly said that it would no longer provide nuclear submarines to the alliance, and deploy fewer destroyers than before.

One B-1 Lancer Bomber flies over the beaches during the 2026 Air Show. Anadolu via Getty Images

The US would also keep all its reconnaissance drones to itself while scaling back the availability of its attack UAVs, sources told Spiegel.

The push to reduce US forces in Europe — which began as a Cold War bulwark against the Soviet Union — has accelerated until President Trump, who has long criticized NATO members for failing to fund their own defense and letting their military capabilities languish.

A member of the U.S. Army 7th Army Training Command, clad in black in the role of opposition force, demonstrates the use of a Drone Shield Drone Gun Mk. Getty Images

Europe has ramped up its defense spending in recent years following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The US currently has about 68,000 active duty troops in Europe in bases across the continent — though most are stationed in Germany.

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