Bryan Clark, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, suggests, however, that more naval power could give Trump flexibility to operate in international waters, a move far less provocative (and one that requires much less infrastructure) than sending in U.S. ground forces.
If, for instance, the United States deployed Navy battleships to the Baltic Sea, Moscow would undoubtedly balk at the U.S. presence off its coast, but there is very little they could or would do about it, says Clark, who recently completed a study on the needs for a future naval feet. A deployment of ground troops to the region, meanwhile, would be seen as a provocation and a more permanent presence, he says.
“Part of the discussion might be that the president may want a better negotiating position,” Clark says. “Having more military force at his disposal gives us more strength when bargaining with the Russians.”