Republican lawmakers — and the commander of U.S. forces in Europe — argued Tuesday against withdrawing troops from the continent, clashing with a potential Trump administration plan.
U.S. European Command chief Gen. Christopher Cavoli told the House Armed Services Committee that he’s “consistently recommended” keeping the same troop levels since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. “It’s my advice to maintain that force posture as it is now,” he said.
His comments, echoed by some top Republicans, follow reports that the Pentagon is weighing removing up to 10,000 troops from Eastern Europe. And they showcased increasingly public tension between the Trump administration and GOP defense hawks over the military’s role abroad.
House Armed Services Chair Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) criticized the possibility of reducing the American military footprint in Europe, including the U.S. stepping down from command of NATO forces on the continent. He accused “some at DOD” of trying to steer military resources away from Europe and hurt national security. But he did credit President Donald Trump with forcing NATO allies to ramp up their defense spending and for acknowledging it is “time to stop the bloodshed” in Ukraine.
Rogers pressed the Pentagon’s acting assistant secretary for international security affairs, Katherine Thompson, on whether the Defense Department supports keeping U.S. troops in Europe. Thompson sidestepped, citing an ongoing Pentagon review.
“The department right now is undergoing a global force posture review,” she said. “No decisions have been made at this time.”
That answer did not sit well with Rogers, who previously wrote to the Pentagon warning against major changes in Europe.
“You should be focused on maintaining the surge posture that we’ve had in Europe since the conflict started,” the Alabama Republican said, in reference to the Ukraine war.
Another Republican, Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, also expressed concerns about potential reductions in troops.
“It would be a grave mistake to pull forces out of Europe right now,” Bacon said. “This is a time to deter Russia, and I think withdrawing forces is a sign of weakness,”
Cavoli, testifying in the Senate last week, said it would be “problematic” if the U.S. steps down from its leadership role commanding NATO forces in Europe.
Top commander warns US troops should stay in Europe
Source: Viral Showbiz Pinay
0 Comments