A U.S. military convoy in Germany in 2017.
Photo: felipe trueba/European Pressphoto AgencyWASHINGTON—Six House Republicans are joining other GOP lawmakers in warning President Trump that his plan to cut U.S. troop levels in Germany is ill-advised and would imperil American interests in the region.
The six lawmakers, all members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, asked Mr. Trump to reconsider his decision in a Monday letter viewed by The Wall Street Journal.
“The United States should continue to lead by example and remain fully committed to the NATO alliance, which has successfully deterred the outbreak of another costly world war on the continent since its formation,” the lawmakers wrote to Mr. Trump.
The letter was signed by Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas, the ranking Republican member of the committee, and five other committee members.
The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. In a Wall Street Journal op-ed this week, White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien said the troops being removed are needed elsewhere, particularly in Asia, and that the U.S. would still have a sizable presence in Germany.
Earlier in June, a group of 22 Republican lawmakers asked Mr. Trump to rethink his proposal. In that effort, led by Rep. Mac Thornberry of Texas, the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, Republicans said the move strengthens Moscow’s hand while weakening Washington’s.
The Wall Street Journal reported June 5 that the Trump administration had formally decided to move forward with a plan to pull troops from Germany, reducing an American commitment to security in the region since the end of World War II.
The Pentagon has roughly 52,000 troops stationed either permanently or on a rotating basis in Germany. Under Mr. Trump’s directive, the Pentagon would have to cut the number of forces by half, to 25,000 troops, officials have told the Journal.
Republicans and Democrats alike have criticized the plan, saying it hands Russian President Vladimir Putin a gift and imperils American interests in Europe. Mr. Trump acknowledged June 15 that the move was intended as a punitive step against German Chancellor Angela Merkel for falling short on military spending.
The Republicans who signed Monday’s letter said Mr. Trump’s work to force some European nations to spend more on their militaries, thus strengthening the NATO alliance, was smart.
“However, we fear this partial U.S. withdrawal from Germany will fail to convince Berlin to spend more, while putting U.S. strategic interests at risk,” they wrote.
In addition to Mr. McCaul, Reps. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, Ann Wagner of Missouri, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, John Curtis of Utah, and Joe Wilson of South Carolina signed Monday’s letter.
Write to Gordon Lubold at Gordon.Lubold@wsj.com
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