Pentagon Formally Launches Six-Month Review of US Force Posture in Europe

Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby announced the Pentagon had 'kicked off' its six-month Europe Posture Review on July 28, 2026 — the study Defense Secretary Hegseth ordered at the June 18 Brussels ministerial. Colby said the review is designed to ensure NATO is 'moving fast and irreversibly toward Europe taking primary responsibility for its conventional defense,' evaluating troop levels, basing, and overflight rights, and grading allies on contributions. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, will coordinate with DoD on the process. Neither Hegseth nor Colby announced specific troop reductions as part of the review itself, but it comes atop already-executed cuts: the discontinued rotational brigade mission in Romania, a cancelled armored brigade deployment to Poland, and the confirmed 5,000-troop reduction from Germany (offset by 5,000 additional troops sent to Poland).