politics
House committee chair says Pentagon official misled him on Romania troop plans
A House Armed Services Committee leader stated that a Pentagon policy official told him no troop reductions were planned for Romania, then announced a combat brigade withdrawal two weeks later. The chair said the decision was made October 24 and formally notified three days afterward.
Jun 29, 1:19 PM·1m read1 source
usatoday.comAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
The chair met the official at the Pentagon in October and asked whether any troop cuts were coming. He said the official replied he was not aware of any plans.
Notification timeline The chair told The Washington Post the decision to remove the brigade was made October 24. The committee received formal notice on October 27. He said he had consulted repeatedly with senior military officials at U.S. European Command, who recommended keeping the brigade in place.
March hearing exchange At a March 5 committee hearing, the chair questioned the official about the process. He said the official had decided to advance force posture changes without interagency coordination or regard for the president’s opinion or Congress.
A second Republican member at the same hearing said the official’s testimony was disingenuous and unnecessary. The Pentagon later reversed a July decision to halt some air defense missile shipments to Ukraine after a June review aimed at conserving munitions for a possible Taiwan conflict.
