US Army troops conduct training close to Grafenwoehr, Germany, on March 13. Sean Gallup/Getty Images
The Republican leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services committees issued a statement today expressing that they are “very worried” about the Pentagon’s choice to remove 5,000 soldiers from Germany.
“Germany has responded to President Trump’s request for enhanced burden sharing by notably raising defense expenditures and ensuring unhindered access, basing, and overflight for U.S. troops in support of Operation Epic Fury,” stated Sen. Roger Wicker and Rep. Mike Rogers.
The remark follows the Pentagon’s announcement on Friday that the US plans to pull approximately 5,000 soldiers from Germany within the next year after President Donald Trump reprimanded the German chancellor for his remarks on the US conflict with Iran.
The chairmen urged the Pentagon to maintain a U.S. troop presence in Europe by relocating them to the east, where allies “have invested significantly to support U.S. troops … while bolstering NATO’s front line to help prevent a far more expensive conflict from starting.”
The senator from Mississippi and the congressman from Alabama stated that “any major alteration to the U.S. military presence in Europe necessitates a thorough review process and careful collaboration with Congress and our allies” and anticipated that the Pentagon will consult with oversight committees regarding the decision
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