Two senior US Republicans have criticized the planned reduction of US troops in Germany. Roger Wicker and Mike Rogers warn it could undermine deterrence capabilities. SPD politician Siemtje Möller also sees it as a signal of arbitrariness.
Roger Wicker and Mike Rogers, chairs of the US Senate and House Armed Services Committees, expressed concern in a joint statement over the decision to withdraw a US brigade from Germany. »We are very concerned about the decision to withdraw a US brigade from Germany«, it stated. They urged the US Defense Department to consult the committees on the impacts to US deterrence capabilities.
The politicians stressed that any major change to the US troop presence in Europe must be coordinated with Congress and allies. A hasty reduction could undermine deterrence and send the wrong signal to Vladimir Putin. The debate stems from US President Donald Trump's announcement to pull 5,000 soldiers from Germany, and considerations to scrap the Tomahawk cruise missile deployment agreed under Joe Biden and Olaf Scholz.
These systems, with a range over 1,600 kilometers, were meant to bolster NATO deterrence until Elsa project missiles become available between 2030 and 2032. SPD deputy parliamentary leader Siemtje Möller warned: »The worrying aspect is not the number of 5,000 soldiers, but the political signal from Washington that established, absolutely reliable partnerships no longer count and seem subject to arbitrariness.«
Möller proposed bridging gaps via cooperation with Ukraine, which has expanded long-range strike capabilities. The Elsa project, launched with a letter of intent in February 2026, aims to accelerate development of European weapons systems.
