The United States is planning to reduce the number of personnel it assigns to several NATO command and planning bodies, cutting roughly 200 positions in a move that European officials say has added to concerns about Washington’s long-term commitment to the alliance.

Three people familiar with the discussions said the Trump administration has communicated the change to some European capitals in private diplomatic exchanges. The posts are within NATO entities responsible for overseeing and planning military and intelligence activity, rather than the larger pool of US forces stationed on the continent.

Among the organisations expected to be affected are the UK-based NATO Intelligence Fusion Centre, the Allied Special Operations Forces Command in Brussels, and STRIKFORNATO in Portugal, which is involved in maritime operations. The Washington Post reported that the reductions also touch a wider set of NATO advisory groups and elements of the alliance’s force structure.

The planned reduction is small compared with the overall US military presence in Europe. Around 80,000 US military personnel are stationed in Europe, with Germany hosting the largest share. However, officials in Europe and Washington described the move as politically sensitive because it comes amid a series of disputes between the United States and European allies.

One source said about 400 US personnel serve in the NATO entities that will see changes, meaning the American footprint in those bodies would be reduced by roughly half once the plan is implemented. Two of the sources said the United States does not intend to recall most servicemembers currently in post; instead, many roles will be removed through attrition, by not backfilling positions as personnel rotate out.

The reasons for the change have not been publicly detailed. In the Reuters report, the sources linked the decision to the administration’s stated aim of shifting resources towards the Western Hemisphere, a theme also reflected in recent US strategic documents.

A NATO official said adjustments to US staffing are “not unusual” and argued that the overall American presence in Europe remains larger than it has been in recent years. The official said NATO and the United States were in close contact over posture and readiness, describing the alliance’s deterrence and defence capacity as robust.

The White House and the Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment in the Reuters report.

The staffing decision lands at a moment of heightened diplomatic strain across the alliance. President Donald Trump has revived his push to acquire Greenland, an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, and has linked the dispute to trade measures aimed at several European countries. European officials have discussed possible retaliation if new US tariffs are imposed.

Trump reposted a social media message identifying NATO as a threat to the United States, while describing China and Russia as “boogeymen”. The repost added to unease in European capitals already focused on the Greenland dispute and the prospect of trade escalation inside the transatlantic relationship.

In early December, Pentagon officials told diplomats that Washington wanted European allies to assume the majority of NATO’s conventional defence capabilities by 2027, including areas such as intelligence and missile capacity. European officials described the timetable as unrealistic.

The Washington Post said some US functions are expected to be reassigned within NATO structures to limit operational disruption, but warned of a potential loss of expertise if fewer US officers and specialists cycle through alliance roles. The same report noted congressional scrutiny of any broader reductions in the American posture in Europe.

Separately, the Greenland dispute has begun to shape wider European security and economic policy. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU was preparing a package to strengthen Arctic security, including investments and capability development, while reaffirming that Denmark’s sovereignty and territorial integrity were non-negotiable.

The trade dimension has also widened. Sweden’s Board of Trade said Swedish exports to the United States could fall sharply if threatened tariffs are implemented, highlighting risks to sectors including electronics and metals. The broader tariff threats have fed market volatility and prompted renewed debate in Europe about the use of retaliatory tools.

For NATO, the immediate military effect of cutting a few hundred billets may be limited. But the symbolic implications are likely to be closely watched in European capitals as allies assess whether Washington’s policy direction points to a tighter focus on the Western Hemisphere and a reduced role in NATO’s day-to-day planning and coordination.