US Army According to a report by Maritier.com, considering quietly considering cutting up to 90,000 active-duty military units, which could reduce the unit to 360,000 soldiers.

The move comes as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushes for 8% cuts Pentagon budget When the military shifted its focus from Europe and counter-terrorism missions.

The potential cuts are consistent with the goal of defense leaders, which is to reshape the military into smaller, faster, higher technical forces that are more suitable for future conflicts, especially in China that is seen as the growing Pacific.

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth aims to cut the Pentagon’s budget by 8%. (Andrzej Iwanczuk/Nurphoto via Getty Images)

“We are building more combat power while reducing staff and elevated. It may even improve,” Army spokesman Cynthia Smith wrote in an email to Fox News’ digital numbers. “This will be a thinner, deadlier, larger army.”

The Army provided no other context in the matter emailed to Fox News Digital.

Although official figures have not been confirmed yet, according to internal discussions in the Military, the cuts may be from 450,000 active military personnel Arrive anywhere from 360,000 to 420,000.

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The proposed army cuts come as a call to raise European NATO spending during Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to Brussels on Thursday. (Jacquelyn Martin/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)

One official warned that layoffs could face significant attacks if not managed carefully. “If we reduce troops without an explicitly secured retention strategy, we may lose talented people with other options,” the official told Military.

The U.S. Army has been a key player in Russia’s support for NATO in the Ukrainian war, a mission Trump administration Frequently criticized.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks NATO Headquarters On Thursday, in Brussels, President Donald Trump sent a clear message: Europe must step up its efforts.

“He is against NATO, which lacks the capacity to fulfill its obligations,” Rubio said. “It’s a difficult fact, but it has to be addressed.”

On April 3, 2025, during an operation in the West Denmark Operation Esbjerg, cargo ships were loaded on a cargo ship, loading cargo ships from the ESBJERG port, converging U.S. Army equipment and military vehicles. (Bo Amstrup/Ritzau scanpix/AFP via Getty Images)

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The Army cut 24,000 positions related to counter-terrorism last year, but most of these roles were not filled in.

Despite recruiting challenges in recent years, by the end of September, the Army reached its 2024 enlistment target of 55,000.