Pentagon weighs reducing Gulf troop presence

Following months of conflict with Iran, the Pentagon is evaluating options to reduce or reposition US military forces in the Persian Gulf, according to a Washington Post report citing officials. The assessment, led by the Pentagon's policy office with input from the Joint Staff and US Central Command, is not yet a formal review ordered by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. The war has damaged or destroyed over 200 US facilities, killed six service members in a March strike in Kuwait, and depleted more than 1,000 advanced air-defense interceptors. Officials are considering moving troops and assets further west, potentially to Jordan, Israel, or Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast, though no final decision has been made. The debate reflects a split within the Trump administration between maintaining overseas commitments and focusing on homeland defense and deterring China. The Pentagon estimates the war will cost about $37.5 billion by September, excluding reconstruction costs estimated at around $5 billion. Any major change would require senior administration approval.