Germany Responds to US Decision to Withdraw 5,000 Troops
Image Source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
As NATO seeks clarification from Washington on the US decision to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany, Germany’s Defence Minister called the move “predictable.”
In an interview with the news agency dpa, Defence Minister Boris Pistorius emphasized that the American military presence in Europe, particularly in Germany, serves the interests of both Germany and the US.
NATO spokesperson Allison Hart stated that the alliance is working with a team to understand the details of the US decision.
The move follows criticism from US President Donald Trump of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz regarding the situation with Iran. Merz claimed that Iranian negotiators “humiliated” the US.
Currently, there are about 36,000 US troops stationed in Germany, significantly more than in Italy (12,000) or the UK (10,000).
When asked about the troop reduction, Trump said Saturday night, “We are cutting a lot, we are cutting more than 5,000.” He did not provide further details.
Trump also announced plans to withdraw US troops from Italy and Spain.
Under the plan to shift US military commitments away from Europe to focus more on the Indo-Pacific region, Washington last year decided to reduce troops stationed in Romania.
In NATO’s 32-member alliance, this US decision has raised concerns about weakening the coalition.
“For the transatlantic community, internal divisions pose a greater threat than external enemies,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned on Saturday.
“We all need to take necessary steps to reverse this negative trend,” he added.
Senior Republican lawmakers allied with Trump have also expressed serious concern over the decision to withdraw the US brigade from Germany.
“It is better for America to focus on strong defense capabilities than to face criticism by fully withdrawing from Europe,” said Senator Roger Wicker and Representative Mike Rogers, who respectively chair important Senate and House committees.
In a social media interview on Saturday, Defence Minister Pistorius said Europe must take greater responsibility for its security and that Berlin will increase cooperation with its partners.
“Germany is on the right path,” he said. “We have seen a significant increase in military spending in recent years.”
Previously, Trump had criticized Germany for not meeting NATO’s military spending targets.
Since the Merz government took office, there has been notable improvement.
Germany is expected to spend €105.8 billion on defense by 2027, with defense expenditure reaching 3.1 percent of GDP next year.
On Saturday, NATO spokesperson Hart emphasized via social media platform “X” that the US troop withdrawal underscores the need for greater shared investment in Europe’s security responsibilities.
“We are already seeing progress since member states agreed at the NATO conference in The Hague last year to invest 5 percent of GDP,” she stated.
Image Source, Reuters
The recent dispute between Trump and Merz originated from the German Chancellor’s remarks on Monday.
Earlier in the week, speaking with university students, Merz said, “There is no clear strategy with America.”
“The Iranians are either skillful negotiators or those who avoid negotiation altogether. They take Americans to Islamabad and send them back with no results.”
He added, “The entire nation is being humiliated by Iranian leadership.”
In response, Trump wrote on his social platform “Truth Social” that Merz had “approved of Iran having nuclear weapons” and “didn’t understand what he was saying.”
Shortly after this, the US announced troop withdrawals from Germany. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the order came from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
“We expect the withdrawal process to be completed within six to twelve months,” he added.
Trump, a long-time NATO critic, has faced strong criticism from allies after refusing to keep the Strait of Hormuz open.
In response to US and Israeli attacks launched on February 28, Iran has tightened control over its coastal passageways.
The US has also implemented a naval blockade on Iranian ports in the Gulf.
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