May 2 (Reuters) – Two senior Republican lawmakers expressed concern on Saturday about the Pentagon’s decision to withdraw 5,000 troops from NATO ally Germany.
Here are some details:
• “We are deeply concerned by the decision to withdraw U.S. military brigades from Germany,” U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker and U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers said in a joint statement.
• Republicans Wicker of Mississippi and Rogers of Alabama serve as chairs of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, respectively.
• Their statement came a day after the Pentagon announced the troop withdrawal, saying the move was expected to be completed within the next six to 12 months.
• U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this week threatened to withdraw U.S. troops after a dispute with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said on Monday the Iranians had humiliated the United States in talks to end two months of war and that he did not know what exit strategy Washington was pursuing.
• Wicker and Rogers said any major changes to the U.S. military presence in Europe must be reviewed and coordinated by Congress and U.S. allies.
• “We expect the Department of Defense to engage with its oversight committees in the coming days and weeks regarding this decision and its implications for U.S. deterrence and transatlantic security,” they said in a statement.
• Even if NATO allies increase defense spending to 5 percent of GDP, building the capacity to take over conventional deterrence will take time, and premature reductions in U.S. troops in Europe “risk undermining deterrence and sending the wrong signal to (Russian President) Vladimir Putin,” they said in a statement.
(Reporting by Ismail Shakir; Editing by Ross Colvin/Keith Weir)