Republicans Mount Big Pushback Against Trump Over Surprise Issue

Top Republican lawmakers issued their strongest warning yet to the Trump administration over reports that the Pentagon is considering massive changes to a NATO command in a bid to cut costs.

Alabama Rep. Mike Rogers and Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker, chairs of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees, were alarmed by an NBC News report indicating that the Pentagon was considering giving up the U.S.’ role as NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR).

The powerful post, which oversees support to Ukraine in its war against Russia, has been held by an American four-star general since the Eisenhower administration. Two defense officials told NBC that the Trump administration was mulling over a significant restructuring of U.S. military combatant commands and headquarters to save money.

“U.S. combatant commands are the tip of the American warfighting spear,” Rogers and Wicker said in a joint statement. “Therefore, we are very concerned about reports that claim DoD is considering unilateral changes on major strategic issues, including significant reductions to U.S. forces stationed abroad, absent coordination with the White House and Congress.”

“We will not accept significant changes to our warfighting structure that are made without a rigorous interagency process, coordination with combatant commanders and the Joint Staff, and collaboration with Congress,” the lawmakers added. “Such moves risk undermining American deterrence around the globe and detracting from our negotiating positions with America’s adversaries.”

NBC reported that no timeline has been set for the proposed SACEUR move. The current SACEUR Army Gen. Chris Cavoli, is scheduled to end his three-year tour this summer.

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Defense officials also told NBC that five of the military’s 11 combatant commands could also be consolidated under the plans being considered.

If all changes being discussed by the Pentagon are implemented, the agency could save up to $270 million in the first year, which amounts to roughly 0.03 percent of the Defense Department’s annual budget of $850 billion, according to a briefing reviewed by NBC.

Retired Adm. James Stavridis, a former SACEUR, told NBC that giving up the post could be seen as “a significant signal of walking away from the alliance.”

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“It would be a political mistake of epic proportion, and once we give it up, they are not going to give it back,” he said. ”We would lose an enormous amount of influence within NATO, and this would be seen, correctly, as probably the first step toward leaving the alliance altogether.”

The Defense Department said at this time “no decisions have been made.”

“The Department is reviewing our force posture across the globe to ensure we have the right people at the right places,” the agency told the Daily Beast on Friday.