A bipartisan group of American lawmakers with major influence in the defense sector is preparing a bill intended to block the Trump administration’s plan to reduce the United States’ military presence in Romania and other NATO countries on the Alliance’s eastern border, reports Kyiv Post, citing sources in Washington.
The Pentagon’s decision – confirmed this week and described by critics as “a gift to the Kremlin” – has triggered a harsh reaction in Congress, where Republican and Democratic leaders consider the withdrawal a step that would undermine NATO’s deterrence capacity against Russia.
Republican revolt against the White House security policy
The most vehement opponents come from within the Republican Party itself, a sign of deep concern within the American security establishment.
The chairmen of the Armed Forces committees in the Senate and the House of Representatives, Roger Wicker (Republican – Mississippi) and Mike Rogers (Republican – Alabama), have publicly criticized the Pentagon’s decision, describing it as “uncoordinated and contrary to the president’s own strategy”.
In turn, Congressman Mike Turner (Republican – Ohio), head of the American delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, warned that reducing troops in Romania sends “a wrong signal” to Eastern allies.
Senator Thom Tillis (Republican – North Carolina) went further, emphasizing Bucharest’s essential role in the Euro-Atlantic security architecture: “Romania is a solid ally for nearly three decades, which has invested billions in strengthening NATO. Reducing American presence here contradicts any strategic logic”, he stated, adding that “the United States should not surprise its partners”.
According to Western officials quoted by Kyiv Post, the Pentagon intends to reduce forces also in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Slovakia, starting next month.
Democrats support the initiative to block the withdrawal
On the other hand, Democrats have joined the initiative, considering that the withdrawal would weaken the cohesion of the Atlantic Alliance at a critical moment.
Adam Smith (Democrat – Washington), a high-ranking member of the House Armed Forces Committee, confirmed at a debate organized by the Council on Foreign Relations that lawmakers are working on a legislative initiative to prevent the reduction of the American contingent.
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