Trump reportedly plans to withdraw one of every five U.S. soldiers now stationed in Europe

U.S. President Donald Trump plans to reduce America’s military presence in Europe by roughly 20 percent, withdrawing around 20,000 troops, the Italian news agency ANSA reported on Thursday, citing a European diplomatic source.

Trump reportedly seeks additional financial support from European countries to host the American soldiers who remain on the continent. According to ANSA’s source, the U.S. president believes “the costs cannot fall solely on the shoulders of American taxpayers.”

ANSA’s source said negotiations over greater support for U.S. troops are now in an “active phase.” President Trump has argued that NATO members should spend at least 5 percent of their GDP annually on defense. European foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has endorsed Trump’s claim that Europe spends too little on defense, noting that E.U. members’ military spending currently averages just 1.9 percent of GDP.

Although the United States spends more on its military than any other country, the Congressional Budget Office projects that defense spending as a share of American GDP will decline over the coming years — from 2.9 percent in 2024 to 2.5 percent in 2034. Over the past half-century, U.S. defense spending has averaged 4.2 percent of GDP.

After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the number of American troops in Europe reached 100,000 — the highest level since 2005.