US Announces Military Review, EU Leaders Brace for Cuts
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said the US will kick off a six-month review of its military presence in Europe as leaders in the region brace for a plan for deep cuts to American support for the continent.
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madbomber
Joined 2006/02/25Visited 2026/06/18
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NATO expects US troop cuts from Europe to take years reut.rs/4ugUquZ[image or embed] -- Reuters (@reuters.com) 3:45 PM · May 19, 2026
NATO expects US troop cuts from Europe to take years reut.rs/4ugUquZ[image or embed]
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Put the cork back in the bottle, Pete, and give it a rest. Iran just whipped your a##.
#1 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2026-06-18 08:36 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1
"Make no mistake about it, this will be a real review. It will be designed to ensure that NATO is moving fast and irreversibly toward Europe leading, stepping up to take primary responsibility for the defense of Europe," Hegseth said. www.reuters.com
"NATO is moving fast and irreversibly toward Europe leading"
"Europe leading"
The United States no longer leading. The end of eighty years of post-war Western hegemony, overseen by the United States.
We don't have Col. Jessep from A Few Good Men standing on that Wall any more. We don't need him any more, according to Republicans.
#2 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-06-18 08:41 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1
Donald Trump is not done losing wars for the United States.
#3 | Posted by Zed at 2026-06-18 08:42 AM | Reply
Pete's plan is audacious and silly, but likely not possible.
I think Trump is trying to see just how ridiculous he can get, while still getting rubber-stamped by his sycophantic supporters in the legislature. But the next presidential election is a little over 2-years away. Most of what this administration does is going to be immediately reversed.
#4 | Posted by madbomber at 2026-06-18 08:50 AM | Reply
"I think Trump is trying to see just how ridiculous he can get"
Sure. Just ignore the actual topic of discussion.
"But the next presidential election is a little over 2-years away. Most of what this administration does is going to be immediately reversed."
This is the mentality of an anti-vaxxer who gets COVID and then decides they want the vaccine.
It doesn't work that way.
#5 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-06-18 08:52 AM | Reply
#4 | Posted by madbomber
I think you're still clinging to any sense of normalcy you can.
#6 | Posted by jpw at 2026-06-18 11:08 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1
Most of what this administration does is going to be immediately reversed.
#4 | POSTED BY MADBOMBER
Meanwhile have you packed your bags? Less troops in Europe means less need for you.
The Leopards Eating People's Faces Party you probably voted for is coming for you now.
But the next presidential election is a little over 2-years away.
Yes Hope is on the way. Accountability is coming.
But that won't save you in the here and now. Ask the hundreds of thousands of federal employees who have already been affected. Anti may never be compensated. I would not count on or expect a Dem anti weaponization slush fund that you can apply for.
#7 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-06-18 11:29 AM | Reply
@#4 ... But the next presidential election is a little over 2-years away. Most of what this administration does is going to be immediately reversed. ...
I've heard reports that our European allies are developing the view that the United States is no longer a reliable ally.
Regarding the next presidential election, they are of the opinion ~how can we rely on the United States when 50,000 votes in Wisconsin might cause a drastic change in the direction of the United State?~
Europeans No Longer Rely on US for Security: ECFR Poll 2026 informedclearly.com
... What the ECFR Poll Reveals About European Public Opinion Conducted in May 2026 across EU member states including Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the Netherlands, as well as Switzerland and the United Kingdom, the poll paints a stark picture of European sentiment. The report's authors, Ivan Krastev and Mark Leonard, argue that US President Donald Trump's second term -- marked by threats to NATO, plans to annex Greenland, and military strikes on Iran without European consultation -- has fundamentally shattered European confidence in American protection. Michal van der Toorn, European affairs correspondent, explains the report's central metaphor: 'The comparison is crystal clear: the EU is Kevin and the US are the parents. Because home alone -- that's what we are as Europe.' The reference to the 1990 film 'Home Alone' underscores the sense of abandonment Europeans feel. Key Findings at a Glance - - - Trust collapse: Only 11% of Europeans see the US as an ally; 25% see it as a rival or adversary. ...
Conducted in May 2026 across EU member states including Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Spain, and the Netherlands, as well as Switzerland and the United Kingdom, the poll paints a stark picture of European sentiment. The report's authors, Ivan Krastev and Mark Leonard, argue that US President Donald Trump's second term -- marked by threats to NATO, plans to annex Greenland, and military strikes on Iran without European consultation -- has fundamentally shattered European confidence in American protection.
Michal van der Toorn, European affairs correspondent, explains the report's central metaphor: 'The comparison is crystal clear: the EU is Kevin and the US are the parents. Because home alone -- that's what we are as Europe.' The reference to the 1990 film 'Home Alone' underscores the sense of abandonment Europeans feel.
Key Findings at a Glance
- - - Trust collapse: Only 11% of Europeans see the US as an ally; 25% see it as a rival or adversary. ...
#8 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-06-18 02:27 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1
@#4 ... Pete's plan is audacious and silly, ...
Well, yeah.
Quelle surprise on that.
The United Stated needs a qualified Sec of Defense.
#9 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-06-19 12:17 AM | Reply
All in all, replacing James Mattis with Hegseth was the shot that may have lost America as a constitutional republic, as sooner or later the military will be run by Trumpian goons for the good of the billionaire oligarchs, as happened in Russia.
#10 | Posted by Hughmass at 2026-06-19 06:33 AM | Reply
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