President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth moved Thursday to dispel rumors of a U.S. troop withdrawal from Romania, clarifying that total personnel numbers remain unchanged despite recent rotation adjustments. Their statements come amid concerns in Bucharest and across Europe following a Pentagon announcement on October 29, 2025, that between 700 and 1,200 troops would be rotated out “without immediate replacement.”  

“We make changes,” President Trump said when asked about reports of a reduction. “It’s the same total number [of troops], but we move people around. I happen to like the Romanian people.” The President’s comments aimed to reassure both U.S. allies and local observers that Washington remains committed to its security obligations under NATO.  

Secretary Hegseth echoed the clarification, saying, “There will remain troops in Romania, but there’s some change in how we rotate… everyone was notified in advance.” The Defense Department, he explained, is adjusting deployments to streamline logistics and enhance readiness in coordination with ongoing regional strategy reviews.  

The remarks follow growing speculation that the troop movement signaled a broader U.S. drawdown in Eastern Europe as part of the administration’s pivot toward Asia and Latin America. Romanian officials had voiced unease that any reduction might weaken deterrence near the Black Sea, where NATO forces monitor Russian military activity and safeguard key supply routes.  

White House sources emphasized that the move is a logistical reshuffle rather than a political retreat. Analysts note that the U.S. has maintained roughly the same troop levels in Romania since 2022, with periodic rotations to maintain training, interoperability, and operational flexibility.  

The clarification underscores President Trump’s continued emphasis on maintaining strong bilateral defense ties while prioritizing efficiency and redistribution of forces to emerging global hotspots. “We’re not leaving Romania,” one senior defense official said. “We’re just realigning how we operate — smarter, faster, and with the same strength.”  

For Romania, the reassurance comes as welcome confirmation of enduring partnership. While the operational details continue to evolve, Washington’s commitment to NATO’s southeastern flank — and to the Romanian people, as the President noted — remains firmly in place.