The chief of US troops in Europe, General Christopher Cavoli, declared on Tuesday, in front of Congress, that the United States should maintain its current military presence on this continent. He warned about possible Pentagon plans to withdraw American troops from Eastern Europe.
The leader of the US European Command, General Christopher Cavoli, declared before the Armed Services Committee in Congress that he “consistently recommends” maintaining the same level of troops since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2014. “My advice is to maintain that posture of strength as it is now,” he said, according to Politico.
His comments, echoed by top Republicans, come after reports that the Pentagon plans to withdraw up to 10,000 soldiers from Eastern Europe. They also highlight increasing public tensions between the Trump administration and American military generals regarding the role of US forces abroad.
The chairman of the committee, Republican Mike Rogers, criticized the possibility of reducing the American military presence in Europe, including withdrawing from NATO command on the continent. He accused “some in the DOD (Department of Defense)” of trying to redirect military resources away from Europe and affecting national security. Instead, he praised President Donald Trump for pressuring NATO allies to increase their defense spending and for recognizing that it is “time to stop the bloodshed” in Ukraine.
Rogers pressed Pentagon’s Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Katherine Thompson to say whether the Department of Defense supports maintaining American troops in Europe. Thompson evaded the question, citing an ongoing Pentagon review.
“At the moment, the Department is going through a global review of its posture,” she said. “No decisions have been made at this time.”
Rogers was not satisfied with her answer. He had previously written to the Pentagon warning against major changes in Europe.
“You should be focused on maintaining the deterrence posture that we’ve had in Europe since the conflict began,” he said, referring to the war in Ukraine.
Another Republican, Don Bacon, also expressed concern about the potential troop withdrawal.
“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 believe pulling out forces is a sign of weakness,” he added.
Cavoli, testifying before the Senate last week, said it would be “problematic” if the US were to relinquish NATO command of forces in Europe.