Pentagon reportedly considers NATO leadership exit, GOP Armed Services Committee chairs revolt

The Trump administration's alleged consideration of withdrawing its leading role in NATO, reported Tuesday night by NBC News on the word of "two defense officials familiar with the planning and a Pentagon briefing" it reviewed, went over like a lead balloon with the GOP chairs of the House and Senate Armed Services committees.

Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker and Alabama Rep. Mike Rogers released a joint statement 24 hours to the minute after the NBC News report on one of the Pentagon plans "under consideration," to give up the role of NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe. The two defense officials told NBC News that could involve consolidating five of the military's 11 combatant commands.

"U.S. combatant commands are the tip of the American warfighting spear," the chairs said. "Therefore, we are very concerned about reports that claim DoD 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."

While they support Trump's "efforts to ensure our allies and partners increase their contributions to strengthen our alliance structure," Rogers and Wicker "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," they said.