Wall Street Journal: the United States is reviewing its military presence in Kuwait

According to a Wall Street Journal report carried in Persian-language media on Friday, 31 July 2026 (9 Mordad 1405), American sources say Washington is considering reducing its military presence in Kuwait. According to those sources, such a review had also been raised at the Pentagon before the start of the war with Iran.

Kuwait is one of the main bases for US forces in the Persian Gulf region, and any change in the American military posture there is among the variables shaping how markets assess regional risk. The report comes at a time when the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and a geopolitical risk premium forms part of the pricing of oil and gold.

This is a media report based on informed sources, and as of publication no formal announced decision by the US Department of Defense or the Kuwaiti government on the matter has been reported.