We elected Donald Trump President in 2016.
Yet based off his constant criticism of the President, you would think we elected Mitt Romney.
After Trump’s announcement that the US would withdraw thousands of troops from Germany, Mitt Romney felt the need to chime in and give his two-cents.
He called the President’s decision a “grave error.”
Read the story from the Salt Lake Tribune:
As the Trump administration announced plans Wednesday to remove thousands of U.S. troops from Germany, Sen. Mitt Romney criticized that as a huge mistake that hurts American allies and helps adversaries.
The Utah Republican issued a statement that the move “is a grave error. It is a slap in the face at a friend and ally when we should instead be drawing closer in our mutual commitment to deter Russian and Chinese aggression.”
Germany is a hub for U.S. operations in the Middle East and Africa.
Romney, the 2012 GOP presidential nominee, added, “It is a gift to Russia coming at a time when we just have learned of its support for the Taliban and reports of bounties on killing American troops. The move may temporarily play well in domestic politics, but its consequences will be lasting and harmful to American interests.”
Romney has been fighting the move since Trump earlier proposed it.
The senator had introduced an amendment to the annual defense authorization bill to limit the use of funds to reduce U.S. troops in Germany — but amid political maneuvering, it never came to a vote before the Senate passed its version of the bill.
A House version of that bill contains provisions designed to limit troop withdrawal, and still must be reconciled with the Senate version.
The move is another example of Romney challenging the president from his own party when he believes it is warranted — after he earlier was the only Republican senator to vote to impeach Trump.
Trump brings up a very valid point in removing US troops from Germany.
Why should the US foot the bill to keep those soldiers there?
Germany is an extremely wealthy first-world country. If it’s so concerned about Russia, let it use its own soldiers.
Check out the latest on Twitter over Trump’s move:
Despite what you may see in the media, not all senators are criticizing the President for his decision.
In fact, Senator James Inhofe, chairmain of the Senate Armed Services Committee, announced that he backed the President!
Here's details from The Hill on the Senator's support for Trump:
The Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee is backing the Trump administration’s plans to move thousands of U.S. troops out of Germany.
Sen. James Inhofe (Okla.) said he arrived at his decision after a briefing from acting Under Secretary of Defense for Policy James Anderson and U.S. European Command chief Gen. Tod Wolters.
“After this morning’s briefing with the Department of Defense, I believe the concept for realigning U.S. military posture in Europe, as the president has approved, is sound,” Inhofe said in a statement. “The department is doing a good job of following the guiding principles I’ve described as the ‘three Fs’— forward presence, force projection and families.”
You can watch Trump's defense of his choice to reporters right here:
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