US Republican lawmakers voice alarm over possible Pentagon command shake-up

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The top two Republican lawmakers who lead the Pentagon's oversight committees in the U.S. Congress issued a rare, joint statement on Wednesday expressing alarm about a potential shake-up in U.S. military commands by the Trump administration.

The statement from the offices of Senator Roger Wicker and Representative Mike Rogers cited press reports, including that the Trump administration is weighing relinquishing the U.S. role as NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

The position, which oversees all NATO operations in Europe, has been filled by a four-star U.S. general since its creation in 1950. Sources familiar with the matter tell Reuters such a possibility has been discussed but may ultimately not be viable and that no announcement is imminent.

"We 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," Wicker and Rogers said in the statement.

"Such moves risk undermining American deterrence around the globe and detracting from our negotiating positions with America's adversaries."

NBC News first reported the possible U.S. relinquishment of the job of SACEUR, as the position is known, and said it could be presented as part of a broader cost-cutting shake-up in military commands that could see several positions consolidated.

Still, any move to step away from Europe would stoke further doubt among America's NATO allies about U.S. commitments to European security under President Donald Trump.

Trump's rapprochement with Russia has already put NATO allies on edge, as have U.S. warnings that European security can no longer be Washington's primary focus.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Editing by Sandra Maler)