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U.S. Officials Consider Reviewing NATO Role After Hormuz Crisis
Social media posts circulated a clip of an interview in which a U.S. official discussed future NATO relations. The posts incorrectly claimed the official announced a full troop withdrawal from Europe.
May 21, 4:54 AM·2m read1 source
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Social media posts on X have circulated a clip from a Fox News interview, claiming that U.S. officials announced the complete withdrawal of American troops from Europe. The posts, which have accumulated more than one million views, state that the U.S. spends 100,000 troops and $60 billion defending Europe each year.
They also cite Europe's alleged lack of support during the Strait of Hormuz crisis and assert that NATO's dissolution is a done deal.
The interview clip shows the official criticizing NATO and questioning whether the alliance functions as a one-way street that benefits Europe more than the U.S. The official stated that once the Strait of Hormuz crisis is resolved, Washington will reexamine the value of NATO and whether the relationship should continue.
The official noted that when the U.S. requested use of European military bases, the answer was sometimes no, and asked why the U.S. should maintain billions of dollars in spending and station American forces in the region under those conditions. The official added that the decision ultimately rests with the president.
An official transcript published by the U.S. Department of State and a full video released by Fox News on 1 April confirm that the interview did not include any announcement of a total troop withdrawal.
The Pentagon announced earlier in May plans to remove 5,000 troops from bases in Germany and to cancel the deployment of 4,000 troops to Poland. Approximately 36,000 U.S. troops remain stationed in Germany and about 80,000 across Europe. A NATO senior military advisor stated in an Euronews interview that the U.S. is due to announce major cuts to the number of troops available to Europe in the event of an invasion or war.
The advisor said these reductions align with areas where European countries have increased their own defense capabilities. U.S. law limits how far troop levels in Europe can be reduced. Section 1249 of the National Defense Authorisation Act for 2026 prevents the Pentagon from lowering troop numbers below 76,000 for more than 45 days without meeting specific conditions.
