Trump pauses US troops deployment in Lithuania in ‘revenge’ plot against NATO | World | News
Trump (Image: Getty)
US President Donald Trump has paused the rotation of US soldiers in Lithuania in a move likely to alarm NATO allies. The US Army has cancelled the planned deployment of around 4,000 troops from the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, to central and eastern Europe, while Lithuanian officials say the United States has also paused its troop rotation to the region.
Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas told LRT RADIO, Lithuania’s state-funded public broadcaster: “The rotation was paused to evaluate how the US will distribute its capabilities in Europe. This is the information we have so far, and we are awaiting clarification; once we have more news, we will be able to provide further information.”
The decision is expected to fuel growing concern among NATO allies over America’s long-term military commitment to Europe amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. However, Kaunas insisted Lithuania, Poland and the Baltic states remain “exemplary allies” that continue to meet both NATO and US defence expectations.
The move comes amid growing tensions between Trump and NATO allies. Speaking at a Turning Point event in Arizona last month, the US President said: “We have to rely on ourselves. We can’t rely on outside countries and outside sources.”
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Lithuanian soldiers during the Brave Griffin 26 military exercises involving US and NATO troops near the Suwalki Gap in Lithuania on May 6, 2026 (Image: Getty)
An Army official confirmed the cancellation on Wednesday but did not provide a reason, referring all questions to the Pentagon, which has so far declined to comment publicly on the move.
The deployment would have seen more than 4,000 soldiers and military equipment sent to Poland as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, a long-running NATO mission aimed at strengthening security along Europe’s eastern flank.
Reports suggest some troops had already begun travelling to Poland while equipment was still in transit when the order was halted.
The move was not mentioned during a congressional hearing into the Army’s budget on Tuesday, despite concerns being raised over mounting financial pressures facing the US military.
During the hearing, Senator Jack Reed warned the Army was facing a budget shortfall of at least $2 billion linked to extended operations, including National Guard deployments in Washington DC and border security missions.
Army officials reportedly warned the service is facing a budget shortfall of between $4 billion and $6 billion amid rising operational costs at home and abroad.
US Army troops during NATO exercises in Poland on May 6, 2026. (Image: Getty)
According to ABC News, the financial strain has already triggered sweeping cuts to military training exercises and readiness programmes across parts of the force.
The Pentagon announced in April that around 5,000 American troops would also be withdrawn from Germany.
Defence Department spokesman Sean Parnell said Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth approved the move after reviewing “theater requirements and conditions on the ground”.
The reduction would return US troop numbers in Europe to levels seen before Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, a conflict that monitoring group Every Casualty Counts says has killed more than 43,000 Ukrainian troops and at least 100,000 Russian servicemen.
More than 10,000 US troops are currently stationed in Poland on a rotational basis.
More than 1,000 US troops are currently stationed in Lithuania, where American military rotations have continued since 2014. Armoured battalions have been deployed there since 2019, with artillery units reinforced in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Fort Hood-based “Black Jack” brigade had been expected to deploy for nine months, with Stars and Stripes reporting the unit formally cased its colours on May 1 ahead of departure.
Parts of the brigade’s advance echelon are already in Poland, while equipment was reportedly still in transit when the deployment was cancelled.
Officials at Fort Hood and Army headquarters referred all questions to the Department of Defense, which said in response to the Army Times: “We have no comment on this at this time.”
