The president of the Senate Armed Services Commission criticized the leaders of the “intermediate level” of the Pentagon for what he considered a poorly oriented plan to reduce the number of American troops based in Europe.
“There are those who believe it has been time to drastically reduce our military presence in Europe,” said the senator Roger Wicker In an audience with the military leaders of the European Command and the African Command of the United States: “I am worried about these deeply incorrect and dangerous opinions of some intermediate level bureaucrats of the Department of Defense,” he said.
It is not clear that “the intermediate wicker bureaucrats were talking, but warned that” they have been working to obtain the withdrawal from Europe they have often done without coordinating with the Secretary of Defense. “
However, neither the Department of Defense nor the Pentagon made public any proposal to reduce forces levels in Europe.
Criticisms of a potential that reduced US support to NATO and Ukraine were a recurring theme during the audience.
The Army General Christopher CavoliEE European Command Commander. UU. And Supreme Allied Commander in Europe said a possible Trump administration plan to give the commander position combined with another nation could create problems to control US nuclear weapons and tens of thousands of American troops outstanding throughout the continent.
A United States general has long held the position of commander of the allies, a position that supervises all NATO military plans and decisions. The United States is the country that most contributes to troops to NATO operations.
“I think this would bring some challenges in terms of nuclear command and control. It would put us in a position in which, in a situation under article 5, we could have done it, for the first time since World War I, a large number of US troops under non -American command,” said Cavoli, referring to the collective defense commitment of article 5, according to which he considers an attack on an allied attack.
“These are problems that should be considered cautiously,” said Cavoli, considering “problematic” any plan to abandon leadership role. Cavoli also pointed out that NATO allies are investing in their armed forces “at a rate that has not been seen since the end of the cold war”, with an increase of 40% in expenses since February 2022.
He also said that the presence of US troops in Europe has been essential for the efforts of transformation and modernization of NATO and that it is essential for the national defense of the United States.
Commitment to NATO
The President Donald Trump and the Secretary of Defense, Pete HegsethThey made it clear that they want the NAT to do more to defend their own region and that the United States is focusing more on China and the southern border of the United States.
The United States also abandoned its leadership role in the broad effort to coordinate military support to Ukraine and delivered the helm to the British.
Both measures worried the allies, who fear that the United States will move away from their long -standing compromise with Europe and NATO.
The number of US troops parked in Europe increased by approximately 20,000 during the Trump Democratic predecessor period, Joe Bidenin answer to Invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022.
These troops helped with the training and logistics of weapons and reassure the allies on the Eastern NATO flank. Since then, there are about 100,000 troops, including the sixth fleet of the navy, as well as nuclear eyelets. US Fire Power. UU. Ensures NATO’s credibility on the ability to determine Russia.
ADVERTISINGNATO allies expressed concern about any reduction in troops or support from the United States in the region.
The Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Brussels This week to try to reassure NATO allies about the commitment of the United States with the Alliance under Trump.
This military guarantee was almost undermined by the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, who took advantage of his first visit to NATO and the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in February to tell the allies that the United States would reassess the troops levels for a greater concentration in China.
Hegseth told the allies that he was there “to expressly and unequivocally express that strategic realities prevent the United States from focusing mainly on European security.”
ADVERTISINGTrump has tried to mediate in a peace agreement between Russia and UkraineBut so far this effort has failed.
