The Republican chairs of both the Senate and House Armed Services Committees broke with President Donald Trump over his decision to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany, warning it could embolden Russian President Vladimir Putin and weaken NATO deterrence on its eastern flank. Senator Roger Wicker and Representative Mike Rogers said in a joint statement they were "very concerned" about removing a U.S. brigade from Germany. They warned that the move, affecting the core of America's military presence in Europe, "risks undermining deterrence and sending the wrong signal to Vladimir Putin.