WASHINGTON — In a White House press briefing that underscored the delicate balance of transatlantic alliances, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Friday that the United States will maintain a significant troop presence in Romania, though with modifications to the rotation schedule and numbers. Speaking alongside President Donald Trump, Hegseth emphasized that the adjustments are not a withdrawal but part of a strategic repositioning of U.S. forces globally, aimed at optimizing resources amid evolving threats from China, homeland security, and regional hotspots in Latin America.
"There will remain troops in Romania, but there will be some change in how we rotate them and how many we rotate," Hegseth told reporters in the East Room of the White House. The announcement comes roughly two weeks after the Pentagon revealed plans to redeploy approximately 700-800 soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division's 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, which had been stationed at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base near the Black Sea. That base, a critical NATO hub just 300 miles from Russian-occupied Crimea, has hosted rotating U.S. units since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, bolstering deterrence on the alliance's eastern flank.
Trump, who has long advocated for European NATO allies to shoulder more of the defense burden, dismissed any notion of discord between the White House and the Pentagon. "The Pentagon does not ignore anything that I say," Trump asserted, addressing a reporter's question about whether the initial troop reduction contradicted his October statement that the U.S. had "no plans to withdraw troops from Europe." He framed the move as routine: "What they do... we make changes... we move people around." Trump invited Hegseth to elaborate, adding that the overall U.S. military footprint in Europe remains unchanged at around 80,000-90,000 troops—the highest level in two decades.
Hegseth, a former Fox News host and Army National Guard veteran confirmed as Defense Secretary in January 2025 after a contentious Senate battle, was quick to reinforce coordination. "No. Nothing was uncoordinated with the White House," he replied firmly. He highlighted the "very good" state of U.S.-Romanian relations and detailed prior consultations: "We've coordinated all this with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, throughout EUCOM [U.S. European Command], throughout our allies. Everyone was notified in advance."
The remarks followed a bilateral meeting between Trump and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, where the president reiterated that the troop adjustments do not signal diminished commitment to NATO's Article 5 collective defense pledge. Orban, a vocal critic of EU sanctions on Russia and a Trump ally, nodded in agreement as Trump described the repositioning as a "win-win" that encourages European self-reliance. "We're not pulling out; we're smartening up," Trump said, echoing his campaign rhetoric on "America First" priorities.
Background: From Surge to Strategic Shift
The U.S. troop presence in Romania ballooned after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with rotations peaking at over 1,700 soldiers at Mihail Kogalniceanu alone. These forces, including paratroopers and rocket artillery units, participated in exercises like Saber Guardian in June 2025, simulating rapid response to Black Sea threats. The base also hosts prepositioned equipment for quick reinforcement and serves as a logistics node for aid to Ukraine.
Last month's Pentagon announcement, detailed in a statement from Romania's Defense Ministry, described the redeployment as a "resizing of rotational forces" rather than a full drawdown. Approximately 1,000 U.S. troops will stay, maintaining a "considerable" allied presence of about 3,500 NATO personnel in Romania, including contributions from France, the UK, and Italy. The ministry called it an "expected" outcome of Washington's global posture review, which prioritizes the Indo-Pacific theater against China's military buildup, domestic border security, and counter-narcotics operations in Venezuela.
This marks the first concrete step in the Trump administration's broader European recalibration. Reports from early 2025 indicated plans to cut up to 20,000 troops continent-wide, potentially shifting them to allies like Poland and the Baltics that meet NATO's 2% GDP defense spending target. The U.S. Army Europe and Africa command stressed: "This is not an American withdrawal from Europe or a signal of lessened commitment to NATO and Article 5. Rather, this is a positive sign of increased European capability and responsibility."
Romanian officials have projected calm. President Nicușor Dan stated on social media that the U.S. presence reverts to pre-2022 levels but is offset by "substantial increases in military equipment and the growing presence of European forces." Defense Minister Ionuț Moșteanu echoed this, noting Romania's investments in hosting U.S. forces and calling expectations of "entire foreign armies" unrealistic. Bucharest has boosted its own defense budget to 2.5% of GDP, funding F-35 purchases and Black Sea fortifications.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, in a statement Friday, assured Romania of the alliance's "unwavering collective defense capabilities," citing enhanced multinational battlegroups and air policing missions. "Europe is stepping up, as it must," Rutte said during a virtual briefing with eastern flank ambassadors.
Backlash from U.S. Lawmakers and Security Concerns
The initial October disclosure ignited rare bipartisan criticism in Congress, particularly from Republicans aligned with Trump's "peace through strength" Ukraine policy. In a joint statement, Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-MS) and House counterpart Mike Rogers (R-AL) condemned the move as "uncoordinated and directly at odds" with deterrence needs, especially after Russian drones violated Romanian airspace in late September. "Pulling back U.S. forces from NATO’s Eastern flank prematurely... undermines deterrence and risks inviting further Russian aggression," they wrote, noting Congress was informed only days before the public reveal.
Twenty House members, led by Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gregory Meeks (D-NY), sent a letter to Hegseth on November 4, arguing the reduction "undermines U.S. commitments to Europe and NATO" and Trump's pledges for a Ukraine peace deal. "This decision sends the wrong signal to Moscow at a pivotal moment," the letter stated, referencing stalled U.S.-Russia talks in Budapest last month.
Experts share these worries. Kurt Volker, Trump's former Ukraine envoy and ex-NATO ambassador, called the timing "premature" in an Euronews interview, questioning the military logic amid Russia's hybrid tactics—like drone incursions over Poland, Romania, and Denmark. "Russia is an immediate problem, and China is watching how we handle it," Volker warned, noting the drawdown's symbolic weight despite its modest scale. Ivo Daalder, Obama's NATO ambassador, described it as part of a "total reorientation" toward the Western Hemisphere, including U.S. strikes on Venezuelan cartels that have drawn Maduro's ire.
On X (formerly Twitter), reactions ranged from alarm to analysis. Retired Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges posted: "After 11 years and every advantage, Russia's 'gains' in Ukraine are minimal—over a million casualties for pink slivers on the map. Ukraine has cards; don't fold now." Romanian users like @PaulConRO lamented eroded trust: "Even if soldiers stay, rebuilding ties will take years. Europe must wake up and defend itself." Conservative outlets like Newsmax defended the shift, quoting Trump: "We move people around—same total number."
Broader Implications for NATO and Global Posture
Hegseth's comments align with the Pentagon's forthcoming 2026 Global Posture Review, expected to formalize shifts under Under Secretary Elbridge Colby, a China hawk. The review builds on Trump's first-term withdrawals from Germany and emphasizes "burden-sharing." European spending has surged—23 of 32 NATO members now hit 2% GDP targets, up from 3 in 2014—but critics argue it's uneven, with laggards like Germany at 1.8%.
For Romania, a frontline state with 800 miles of Black Sea coast, the changes amplify urgency. Bucharest is accelerating EU-funded defenses, including drone countermeasures after recent violations. Analysts at the Atlantic Council warn of "unintended consequences," like emboldening Russian interference in the Balkans. Yet, proponents see opportunity: "Europe's rearmament is the fastest since the Cold War," Volker noted, potentially fostering a more balanced alliance.
Hegseth, who has faced scrutiny for internal Pentagon purges—firing over two dozen generals since January—framed Friday's briefing as a "transformation" moment. "We're liberating the bureaucracy to focus on real threats," he said, invoking Rumsfeld's "arsenal of freedom. Trump nodded approvingly, quipping, "Pete gets it—strong at home, smart abroad."
As winter sets in along NATO's eastern edge, the adjustments test alliances forged in the Cold War's shadow. With Russia's war grinding on and hybrid probes escalating, Friday's reassurances aim to steady nerves. But for lawmakers and allies, the proof lies in execution: Will rotations stabilize, or signal a deeper pivot? In Bucharest and Brussels, eyes remain fixed on Washington, where "move people around" could redefine deterrence for years to come.
