Rep. Neguse Leads Bipartisan Effort Imploring Defense Department Reverse NATO Force Cuts

“NATO is the most successful defensive military alliance in history, having served as the cornerstone of trans-Atlantic peace and U.S. national security for over seven decades. Now is the time to recommit to this alliance…not to pull back and create vulnerabilities that risk implicating the United States.” 

Washington, D.C. — Colorado Congressman Joe Neguse, alongside Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Representative Don Bacon (R-NE), penned a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegeseth regarding reports that the Department of Defense plans to reduce contributions to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) operations in Europe, undermining allied security and emboldening Russia at a particularly divisive time for trans-Atlantic stability.

“Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the United States has maintained an increased presence in Central and Eastern Europe to deter Russia’s potential aggression against NATO allies. Earlier this summer, however, the United States European Command announced plans to scale back the number of forces committed to NATO, including a 30 percent cut to fighter jets, a decrease in reconnaissance planes, and the withdrawal of aerial refueling tankers,” the lawmakers wrote. 

“This decision will severely undermine allied surveillance and intelligence coordination, leaving NATO allies vulnerable as President Vladimir Putin weighs aggression against our NATO allies — whom the United States is legally obligated to defend, if called upon under Article 5. Deterring Russia through strong support for NATO is far less costly than potentially fighting a war with Russia in the future.”

The bipartisan trio urged reconsideration of the proposed cuts to NATO resources and requested the Defense Department share its plans for how the United States would uphold long-standing commitments to allied security. Neguse, Bennet, and Bacon also stressed that now is the time to reaffirm America’s leadership within NATO, not to introduce uncertainty or risk the alliance’s collective strength.

“We understand your Department’s efforts to ensure Europe pays more for its own defense so the United States can spend more of our own resources deterring China across the Indo-Pacific. This is a long-running and bipartisan priority. But your planned reduction cuts deep across NATO capabilities and will take effect far earlier than European allies had been preparing for. This decision and its rapid implementation will weaken our shared deterrence posture in Europe by sending a troubling signal — both to our NATO allies and to Putin — about the U.S. commitment to this alliance at precisely the wrong moment.”

The letter concludes: “NATO is the most successful defensive military alliance in history, having served as the cornerstone of trans-Atlantic peace and U.S. national security for over seven decades. Now is the time to recommit to this alliance, particularly as NATO itself expands cooperation with Indo- Pacific partners to address the China challenge – not to pull back and create vulnerabilities that risk implicating the United States. Accordingly, we urge you to immediately reconsider the planned reduction of resources to NATO.” 

Click HERE to read the full letter.

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