US to Pull a Third of NATO Fighter Jets, Cut Naval
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- The United States is withdrawing long-range military capabilities from NATO, with all major outlets framing it as a major cut to assets committed to European operations.
- The Pentagon plans to pull approximately a third of the fighter jets it provides to NATO for Europe, alongside reductions in warships and other air and naval deployments, according to reporting cited by The New York Times.
Why it matters: The US provides the bulk of NATO's forward-deployed firepower in Europe; cutting a third of its fighter jets and trimming air and naval contributions reduces the alliance's combat mass on the continent and forces European members to fill the gap. The concrete figure — a third of jets — sets this apart from vague rhetoric about burden-sharing.
