US is cutting about 200 jobs in NATO structures

As part of this move, which the Trump administration has communicated to some European capitals, the US will cut about 200 positions in NATO structures that control and plan the alliance's military and intelligence operations, sources who wished to remain anonymous told Reuters.

Among the bodies that will be affected, according to the sources, are the British NATO Intelligence Fusion Center and the Allied Special Operations Command in Brussels. Portugal's STRIKFORNATO, which controls some maritime operations, will also be cut, as will several other similar NATO units.

The sources did not specify why the US decided to reduce the number of personnel performing NATO functions, but these steps are broadly consistent with the Trump administration's stated intention to redirect more resources to the Western Hemisphere.

These changes are minor compared to the size of the US military deployed in Europe and do not necessarily signal a broader US withdrawal from the continent. There are about 80,000 troops stationed in Europe, nearly half of them in Germany.

However, these steps are likely to heighten European concerns about the future of the alliance, which are already high due to US President Donald Trump's intensified campaign to take Greenland from Denmark, creating an unprecedented prospect of territorial aggression within NATO.

When asked to comment on the situation, a NATO representative noted that changes in US personnel are not unusual and that the US presence in Europe is greater than it has been for many years.

“NATO and the US authorities are in close contact regarding our common position—to ensure that NATO's strong deterrence and defense capabilities are maintained,” the NATO representative said.

Photo: NATO.