House Republicans and Democrats say the US must maintain its troop totals in Europe
By LOLITA C. BALDOR
Updated 1:56 PM EDT, April 8, 2025
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican and Democratic members of the House Armed Services Committee voiced sharp bipartisan criticism Tuesday about reports the Trump administration is eyeing a reduction of U.S. forces in Europe, saying America must stick with its NATO allies.
Rep. Michael Rogers, R-Mich., the panel’s chairman, said the U.S. must not cut troop levels in Europe and added that he was opposed to any plan for the U.S. to relinquish NATO command. The U.S. historically has held the Supreme Allied Command Europe, or SACEUR, position.
“U.S. leadership in NATO is essential to ensure armed American forces, including our nuclear weapons, always remain under U.S. command,” Rogers said at the start of a hearing with Army Gen. Christopher G. Cavoli, commander of U.S. European Command and the NATO commander.
Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, added that “the idiocy of the fact that there was any discussion” about giving up the SACEUR role “is just beyond me.”
https://apnews.com/article/europe-nato-military-troop-cuts-us-f66a5e168ca5fa8fc3038597e00a8bfa
