Around this time six years ago, Donald Trump, to the delight of the Kremlin, announced dramatic cuts to U.S. troop deployments in Germany, blindsiding the Pentagon and much of his own team, after then-Chancellor Angela Merkel hurt his feelings and following chats with Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
The Republican president did not, however, immediately follow through on his own decision. By the time the administration took steps to implement his plan, he lost his 2020 re-election bid, and Joe Biden wasted little time in scrapping his predecessor’s plan.
This month, history repeated itself: After incumbent German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hurt Trump’s feelings, the Republican again announced cuts to U.S. troop deployments in Germany, again blindsiding the Pentagon, and again after a conversation with Putin. This time, however, the policy is actually advancing.
Last week, as The Associated Press reported, the Defense Department confirmed it’s drawing down thousands of troops in Europe by canceling deployments to Poland and Germany as opposed to yanking forces already stationed there.
Late last week, a variety of congressional Republicans, including Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama, who chairs the House Armed Services Committee, publicly and explicitly condemned the move in no uncertain terms.
Some responded to the developments, not just by rebuking the Defense Department in general, but by slamming Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth specifically. MS NOW reported:
Sen. Thom Tillis issued a harsh critique of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his “mediocre yes-men” on Saturday for what the North Carolina Republican called a “careless decision” to force out and downgrade U.S. general officers.
“Hegseth continues to surprise and disrespect our greatest allies and some of our best military professionals with impulsive decisions not grounded in reality or good judgment,” Tillis wrote in a post on X.
The retiring GOP senator’s statement went on to say, “The careless decision to reduce our force posture in Europe, along with moves by Pete Hegseth and his political henchmen to force out some of our finest general officers, is amateur hour at best and deadly at worst.”
Tillis’ criticism dovetails with recent disputes Hegseth has had with other Republican lawmakers, including Sens. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
About a month ago, The Hill reported that “a growing group of Senate Republicans” was “losing confidence” in Hegseth, adding that some GOP lawmakers would like to see him “move on” from his Pentagon leadership post. That said, the article didn’t feature any on-the-record quotes, leading readers to wonder which congressional Republicans had a problem with the former Fox News host.
The answer is coming into sharper focus.
The post ‘Amateur hour’: Even some Republicans are starting to turn against Pete Hegseth appeared first on MS NOW.
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