US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has allowed some US troops in Europe to be transferred to countries in the Western Hemisphere. He said that Washington is expanding its military presence in Central and South America and is working with Ecuador, Honduras, Guatemala and Panama.
“We want more burden sharing“ in Europe, Hegseth said. He said some of the American capabilities could be returned to the United States or directed to other positions in the Western Hemisphere as the Donald Trump administration steps up its campaign against drug cartels in Latin America.
No specific number of troops was specified
The statement did not contain specific data on how many soldiers could be moved from Europe, which units would be affected or when the possible redeployment would begin. Hegseth also did not announce a decision to close or reduce a specific American base.
The American minister put the possible change in the context of the demand that European countries assume a greater share of the costs and responsibilities for the continent's defense. He has defended a similar position before, stating that the US is reviewing the deployment of its forces around the world.
The Campaign Against Drug Cartels
The Hill reported that since September 2, 2025, the US military has carried out at least 70 strikes in South America and stated that 234 "narco-terrorists" were killed. The data is a US estimate and is not accompanied by an independent verification in the publication.
Hegseth announced the operation against drug cartels under the name "Southern Spear". According to him, it is being led by a joint task force and the US Southern Command. In late May, three people were killed in an attack on a suspected drug trafficking ship in the Pacific Ocean.
The US currently does not have a large military base in South America. It has not been announced whether the possible transfer of forces from Europe will lead to the creation of a permanent base or to the temporary deployment of military personnel in partner countries.
Sources: RBC, The Hill