Hudson Institute Analysis: US Allies Worldwide Should Watch Pentagon's Europe Force Posture Review Closely

Luke Coffey, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, published an analysis via Eurasia Review on September 26, 2026 — syndicated the same week by Arab News, BLiTZ and Bytes Europe — arguing that US allies beyond Europe should closely watch the outcome of the Pentagon's six-month European force posture review, since the decisions could signal how the Trump administration balances regional commitments against broader global priorities, including the Middle East and Indo-Pacific. The piece put the current US footprint at roughly 68,000 permanently assigned personnel plus about 12,000 rotational forces in Europe — well below the Cold War peak of hundreds of thousands — and noted that a proposed 5,000-troop reduction from Germany remains among the options under review led by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby. Coffey also cited lingering allied frustration over the pace of European contributions during Operation Epic Fury, noting NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had indicated European allies supported roughly 4,000–5,000 US flight missions during that operation, and argued American forces in Europe 'are not there simply to protect Europeans but also to advance U.S. national interests.' The review remains on track to conclude by the end of 2026, with the Pentagon due to deliver Hegseth four sets of troop-level options by November 6.