President Donald Trump’s administration triggered some Republican lawmakers who declared they “will not accept” reported plans for restructuring military commands.
In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the GOP chairs of the House and Senate Armed Services committees pushed back against the proposed changes to the combatant command structure and other modifications without “coordination” with Congress.
“U.S. combatant commands are the tip of the American warfighting spear. Therefore, we are very concerned about reports that claim [the Defense Department] 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,” read the statement from Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Chairman Rogers, Chairman Wicker Joint Statement on Reports of Potential Combatant Command Changes
Washington, D.C. – @RepMikeRogersAL, Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and @SenatorWicker, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, responded to press reports…
— Armed Services GOP (@HASCRepublicans) March 19, 2025
“We support President Trump’s efforts to ensure our allies and partners increase their contributions to strengthen our alliance structure, and we support continuing America’s leadership abroad,” they continued.
“As such, 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. Such moves risk undermining American deterrence around the globe and detracting from our negotiating positions with America’s adversaries,” Rogers and Wicker said.
NBC News cited two unnamed defense officials familiar with the plans and reported that five of the “military’s 11 combatant commands could be consolidated under the plan being discussed.”
The changes could also include consolidating the U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command into one command that would be based in Stuttgart, Germany, and combining the U.S. Southern Command headquarters in Florida with U.S. Northern Command.
“Combining the commands would allow the military to save money by reducing staff with overlapping responsibilities, according to officials familiar with the planning. If all of the changes being considered are implemented, up to $270 million could be saved in the first year, according to a Pentagon briefing reviewed by NBC News,” the outlet noted.
The restructuring could end the role of NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) which is currently headed by Commander General Christopher G. Cavoli in a position established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
“For the United States to give up the role of supreme allied commander of NATO would be seen in Europe as a significant signal of walking away from the alliance,” retired Adm. James Stavridis told NBC News.
“It would be a political mistake of epic proportion, and once we give it up, they are not going to give it back,” said Stavridis, who served as SACEUR and head of European Command from 2009 to 2013. “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.”
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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