US plan to pull troops from Germany sparks criticism from lawmakers in both parties - Fox News

In a move encouraged by President Trump, who has repeatedly said that the NATO member is “delinquent” in their defense bills, Esper said it was time to “reposition” American forces in Europe.

“As anyone can see, the repositioning of our forces in Europe constitutes a major strategic and positive shift, wholly in line with the NDS, and consistent with other adjustments the United States has made within NATO in previous times,” Esper said.

Still, this is a mischaracterization on the way NATO allies contribute defense spending, critics say.

NATO nations have pledged that by 2024 they will dedicate two percent of their gross domestic product to defense, and in 2019 Germany submitted one and a half percent – though they still have four more years to meet the pledge.

Defense expenditure figures from 2019 show that only eight of the 30 NATO members have met the two percent threshold – a figure agreed to by NATO nations in 2006.

troops aren't stationed around the world as traffic cops or welfare caseworkers - they're restraining the expansionary aims of the world's worst regimes, chiefly China and Russia,” Sen.

The Pentagon has argued that the move allows more troops to be stationed in Poland, a strategy that places troops closer to Russia and a move that Warsaw has long sought after.

“While some of the proposed moves clearly have merit, other aspects - such as an arbitrary limit to the number of troops stationed in certain countries - remain troubling,” said Rep.

Though Esper said Congress had been notified and that any measures going forward would be in coordination with Congress, House Armed Services Chair Adam Smith, D-Wash., said lawmakers were not notified until after the fact.

allies or with the military services, but instead all parties - including Congress - were notified after decisions had already been made,” Smith said Wednesday.