The Document

While Josh Hokit was vomiting on himself at the Lincoln Memorial weigh-ins Friday afternoon, the United States government delivered a written document to its NATO allies.

The document was not announced. There was no press conference. No statement from the Pentagon. No briefing for Congress. Two senior European officials confirmed its contents to the New York Times on Friday evening, which published the story at 3:54pm, precisely when every camera in Washington was pointed at the cage fighters on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

Here is what the document said.

The United States is cutting its F-16 and F-15E fighter jets allocated to NATO from approximately 150 to 100. A reduction of one third. The United States is reducing maritime reconnaissance aircraft from 26 to 15. The United States is removing all eight aerial refueling tanker jets it previously made available to European operations. Every single one. The United States is reallocating a missile-launching submarine from European waters. The United States is reallocating an aircraft carrier, along with the warships and jets that accompany it. One of two bomber task force groups previously assigned to European defense will be redeployed elsewhere.

NATO's top military officer is now quietly drawing up alternative plans to defend Europe should it come under attack from Russia in the absence of the American forces that have guaranteed European security for eight decades.

The Pentagon's statement: this is "a positive sign of increased European capability and responsibility." The Army's statement: "This force posture adjustment will not change the security environment in Europe."

European governments are building contingency plans for an American absence during a Russian attack. The Pentagon says this will not change the security environment in Europe. One of these statements is true.

Russia has had two strategic objectives since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The first: end NATO's eastern flank military coverage. The second: separate the United States from its European allies. Both objectives were advanced on Friday afternoon in a written document delivered while the country watched a man vomit on a scale at a monument to Abraham Lincoln.

Post three comes at 7:30. The connection between this weekend's two stories is the sharpest thing the decoder ring has found in weeks.

-- Barron St. John | The Decoder Ring on Substack

THE RECEIPTS -- June 15, 2026

US delivered written NATO document Friday June 12 cutting F-16/F-15E jets from 150 to 100, maritime reconnaissance from 26 to 15, removing all 8 aerial refueling tankers, reallocating missile submarine, aircraft carrier, and warships; communicated to allies in early June with no congressional notification: New York Times/Philadelphia Inquirer, June 12, 2026. inquirer.com/news/natio…. Reuters, June 12, 2026. usnews.com/news/world/a…

NATO top military officer drawing alternative defense plans for Russian attack without US forces: Al Jazeera, June 12, 2026. aljazeera.com/news/2026…. Washington Times, June 12, 2026. washingtontimes.com/new…

Pentagon statement: force posture adjustment is "a positive sign of increased European capability and responsibility" and "will not change the security environment in Europe": CBS News/Defense News, June 12, 2026. defensenews.com/pentago…

Russia's two strategic objectives since 2022: end NATO eastern flank coverage and separate US from European allies; both advanced by NATO withdrawal document: Al Jazeera analysis, June 12, 2026.