Influential Republicans in Congress criticize Pentagon plan to withdraw troops from Germany: 'Wrong signal for Putin'

Two of the most important American Republican congressmen expressed their concern on Saturday about the Pentagon's decision to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany, according to The Guardian.

“We are deeply concerned about the decision to withdraw an American brigade from Germany,” Senator Roger Wicker and Congressman Mike Rogers said in a joint statement.

Wicker, R-Mississippi, and Rogers, R-Alabama, lead the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, respectively. Their statement comes a day after the Pentagon announced the withdrawal and said the process would be completed in the next six to 12 months.

Donald Trump had previously threatened to withdraw troops after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday that the Iranians were “humiliating” the United States in negotiations to end the war and that he saw no clear exit strategy for Washington.

Wicker and Rogers said any significant change to the US military presence in Europe must be reviewed and coordinated with both Congress and US allies.

“We expect the Department of Defense to discuss this decision and its implications for US military deterrence and transatlantic security in the coming days and weeks with the oversight committees,” the two said.

They warned that even if NATO allies increase their defense spending to 5 percent of GDP, it will take time to develop the capabilities needed to take over the role of conventional deterrence. A premature drawdown of US troops in Europe “risks weakening deterrence and sending the wrong signal” to Russian President Vladimir Putin, they added.

NATO spokeswoman Allison Hart said Saturday that the alliance was “working with the United States to understand the details of the decision on the military posture in Germany.”