U.S. to Reduce Military Forces Available to NATO in Major Crises

The Trump administration plans to inform NATO allies this week that the U.S. will scale back the forces it commits to the alliance during major crises.

U.S. military capabilities available to assist NATO's European nations in a major crisis. Under a framework known as the NATO Force Model, alliance members identify forces that could be activated during a conflict or other major crisis, such as a military attack on a NATO member.

The precise composition of those wartime forces remains a closely guarded secret. The Pentagon has decided to significantly scale down its commitment, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

The Pentagon plans to announce its intention to lessen its commitment at a Friday meeting of defense policy chiefs in Brussels. Several details remain unclear, including how quickly the Pentagon plans to shift crisis-mode responsibilities onto European allies.

The United States will continue to use its nuclear weapons to protect NATO members, even as European allies take the lead on conventional forces. President Donald Trump has made clear he expects European countries to take over primary responsibility for the continent's security from the United States.

The message to allies this week is a concrete sign of that policy being implemented.