NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg downplayed initial reports that President Trump planned to withdraw 9,500 troops from bases in Germany while expressing concerns of an emboldened and more aggressive Russia.
“Over the last years, we’ve actually seen more U.S. presence, including more pre-positioned equipment and exercises,” Stoltenberg said Monday, refusing to acknowledge unconfirmed media reports that nearly a third of the U.S. troop presence in Europe will be repositioned in a matter of months.
Stoltenberg also described Russian military modernization, aggressive action against neighbors, and recent disinformation campaigns designed to divide the NATO alliance.
“Russia continues its military activities unabated,” he said at an Atlantic Council and German Marshall Fund discussion broadcast live on the NATO webpage. “They are deploying now a new missile called SSC-8, a new missile which can reach European cities.”
Reports began to surface Friday indicating that the White House planned to withdraw much of the U.S. fighting force in Europe and that national security adviser Robert O’Brien signed off on the plan.
Some reports indicated the troops would be repositioned to Poland or other allied countries despite the lack of sufficient barracks or they would return to the United States.
Both the Pentagon and U.S. European Command directed inquiries by the Washington Examiner to the National Security Council.
“While we have no announcements at this time, as commander in chief, President Trump continually reassesses the best posture for the United States military forces and our presence overseas,” NSC spokesman John Ullyot told the Washington Examiner in a statement.
“The United States remains committed to working with our strong ally Germany to ensure our mutual defense as well as on many other important issues,” Ullyot said.
Tom Spoehr, the Heritage Foundation’s director of national defense, told the Washington Examiner that the White House might not have made a firm decision.
“As best we can tell talking to people in the administration, it’s still a draft plan,” he said. “We’re hoping that it isn’t finalized, that there’s still room for the administration to reconsider this plan.”
Spoehr, a former Army lieutenant general who was stationed in Germany in the 1980s when U.S. troops numbered more than 300,000, described the move as a potential “significant loss of our fighting and deterrence capability in Europe.”
“This move is kind of a shot out of blue, it came out of nowhere, a contradiction to everything else the administration has done,” he said. “It’s difficult to explain militarily.”
Spoehr believes it is likely that the Pentagon and NATO were blindsided by the change in strategy and that Germany was not consulted. Furthermore, recent statements by the Department of Defense and White House have indicated that a stronger troop presence is required in Europe to deter threats.
“There is recognition that there’s not enough U.S. forces now that Russia has started to act belligerent again, to deter Russia from harassing and potentially encroaching upon their neighbors,” Spoehr said. “Most of the military would state that our armed forces in Europe are already too small to do what we need them to do there.”
Spoehr also assessed that if reports were true that up to 9,500 troops would be stationed elsewhere in Europe, infrastructure and logistics would make that nearly impossible.
Stoltenberg praises recent U.S. troop increases
In public comments Monday, Stoltenberg chose not to comment directly on the leaked media reports, instead praising the U.S. for its commitment to Europe in recent years, which have included billions in infrastructure investments.
“European allies and the United States are doing more together in Europe than in many, many years,” he said. “We are constantly consulting with United States, with other NATO allies on the military posture, presence in Europe.”
The NATO secretary general cited a new U.S. brigade deployed to Europe, the recent presence of an aircraft carrier for exercises and more rotational presence in the Baltic countries, where the maritime operation BALTOPS began today.
In Poland, where reports indicate troops will be relocated, Stoltenberg highlighted the U.S.’s new brigade, its lead in a NATO battle group, and the construction of a missile-defense base.
“That’s the best way to prevent conflict, to remove any room for doubt, any room for miscalculation about NATO’s readiness, willingness to protect all allies. And as long as we provide that deterrent, there will be no conflict, no attack,” he said.
On May 29, German Chancellor Angela Merkel publicly demurred when Trump invited her to attend an in-person G-7 summit in the U.S. in June, citing continued coronavirus health concerns.
Other European leaders followed, and the summit has been postponed until September. Reports also indicated that an earlier telephone call between the two leaders was heated.
Trump has long called on Europe, and Germany in particular, to reach 2% of defense spending faster and not to depend on the U.S. for its security.
Stoltenberg made clear in his comments from Brussels that NATO partners were increasing their defense spending and commitment to the alliance, and the European Union could not defend itself.
“I welcome the EU efforts on defense, but at the same time EU cannot replace NATO,” he said. “There is no way the EU can replace NATO.”
