Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) criticized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for what he called a 'careless decision' regarding U.S. troop posture in Europe, according to a report by Sophie Brams in The Hill on May 18, 2026.
Rounds, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, expressed concerns that the move could undermine NATO deterrence against Russia. He urged the administration to reconsider the deployment changes.
The Pentagon has not yet issued a formal response to the senator's remarks. The Hill article did not specify the exact nature of the troop posture changes.
