During a House Armed Services Committee hearing held before the congressional recess, Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA) questioned DoD Assistant Secretary Katherine Thompson about US partnership with NATO allies.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Gentlemen, I recognize the gentleman from California, Mr. Garamendi.
00:03Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for your clarity of your statement,
00:07as well as for the ranking member, Mr. Smith.
00:11General Cavoli, thank you for your service.
00:14You've been at this a long time, and the clarity of your testimony today
00:17is extraordinarily important to all of us about the role of EUCOM
00:22and the defense of Europe, also the defense of the United States.
00:28My question really goes to Ms. Thompson,
00:32and I would like to have clarity about the administration's belief or not
00:38that our NATO-European partners are critical to U.S. national security.
00:46Thank you for the question, Congressman.
00:48I would point you to Secretary Hegseth's comments on his first trip overseas,
00:52which was to the NATO Defense Ministerial,
00:54and where he acknowledged that NATO is the most successful defense alliance in history
00:58and that he made clear that we are not abandoning our European allies.
01:02In fact, our efforts and President Trump's efforts,
01:05particularly on the defense spending front,
01:07is meant to bring our European allies alongside us to develop a status quo.
01:12I got all that from your testimony, but my question was different.
01:16My question is, is or are the European allies critical to our national American security?
01:25I would say a strong defense and deterrence in Europe is certainly in our national interest,
01:31particularly as the Department has an aim to focus on homeland defense,
01:36and certainly as the chairman and ranking member recognized the looming threat of conflict with China
01:42and the Indo-Pacific, having partners in Europe that as allies and partners are strong on defense and deterrence
01:48and are capable only helps further those interests for us.
01:53The lack of clarity in your answer is noted.
01:56However, it's also clear that the statements from the administration, including the Secretary and the Vice President,
02:07would indicate that the administration does not value our NATO allies.
02:14Calling them pathetic and other demeaning words,
02:19and also missing the monthly NATO meeting,
02:25would indicate that perhaps the administration's view does not coincide with your roundabout statement.
02:33So, the question is,
02:35does the U.S. still value the partners that we have in Europe?
02:43Thank you for the question, Congressman.
02:45And again, I would say, as the Secretary and the President have emphasized,
02:48we do value our partners in Europe to the extent that they're willing to step up
02:52and be strong allies and partners with us,
02:55and that means pulling their weight.
02:57And that's the tough message and the honest message that this administration has been delivering,
03:01and we believe it's important to be honest with our allies
03:04and that that only builds a stronger relationship for us and for our European allies and partners.
03:11Maybe that's not correct.
03:12Maybe it actually weakens our partnership when you demean,
03:19when you discourage,
03:20and when you place them in a lower value.
03:25Moving beyond that,
03:27I just note the self-inflicted wounds
03:31that the administration has put in place
03:35in Europe
03:36and the extraordinary additional burden
03:40that places on
03:41our military leadership,
03:45trying to hold it together.
03:47I want to also thank
03:49Mr. Turner
03:52for the clarity that he brought
03:54with regard to the
03:55command of NATO.
03:57General Cavoli,
04:00there are
04:00many
04:02facilities
04:05in Europe,
04:07some of them on the eastern side
04:09in Poland.
04:10Are there any plans to
04:12change the footprint
04:14of the U.S. military
04:16on the eastern front?
04:21Congressman,
04:22we move forces around
04:24frequently
04:25in Europe.
04:26Our air forces
04:27are hopping all around,
04:28our maritime forces,
04:29even our ground forces
04:30move from place to place,
04:32but the principal locations
04:34where we have forces right now,
04:37that's where they are,
04:38and that's where I'm planning
04:40to keep them.
04:42Very generous,
04:43some of the countries
04:44on the eastern flank,
04:46Poland,
04:46$3.2 billion in infrastructure
04:48to provide housing
04:51for our servicemen
04:53who are rotating through there.
04:54Lithuania is
04:55built a city
04:56for an armor battalion.
04:58I think that got at
04:59your question, sir.
05:00If not,
05:00please let me know.
05:03I will in the classified.
05:05Yield back.