Mar 19, 2025 - Politics & Policy

GOP committee chairs fire warning shot at Trump on NATO

Hans Nichols

Roger Wicker walks in a Senate corridor. — Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-MS) arrives for a Republican luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on February 20, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

The GOP chairs of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees fired a warning shot at President Trump on Wednesday, telling him not to tinker with the military structure behind the top NATO command position.

Why it matters: The joint statement from Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) is one of the strongest GOP warnings to date about Trump's plans to potentially reorganize parts of the government.

"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 two chairs said in a joint statement.

Driving the news: The lawmakers were responding to a report in NBC News that the Trump administration is considering giving up the role of NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, citing anonymous officials.

That position, which is traditionally held by a 4-star general or admiral, is in command over NATO's military operations.
The 4-star also leads the U.S. European Command, one of six geographical combatant commands.
The current commander, Army General Christopher G. Cavoli, has played a key role in the U.S. response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a war Trump is trying to end.

Flashback: In February, Wicker called Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's dismissal of Ukraine's wanting to return its pre-war borders a "rookie mistake."

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GOP committee chairs fire warning shot at Trump on NATO

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