Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw more US troops from Germany, following last week's announcement of a 5,000-strong reduction that stunned European leaders and some senior Republicans. The move left 30,000 US troops still in the country, according to CNN, but Trump told reporters on Saturday: “We are going to cut way down, and we’re cutting a lot further than 5,000.”
The initial reduction came after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the US was being “humiliated” by Iran. Speaking to students in Marsberg last month, Merz criticised Iran's negotiating tactics and said: “An entire nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership, especially by these so-called Revolutionary Guards. And so I hope that this ends as quickly as possible.”
The Pentagon announced on Friday it was withdrawing 5,000 troops from Germany, citing a “thorough review of the Department’s force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theatre requirements and conditions on the ground”. The decision has sparked concern among Republicans who chair the armed services committees in Congress.
Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi and Representative Mike Rogers of Alabama released a joint statement on Saturday saying they were “very concerned” by the possibility of reducing troops in Germany. They noted that Germany had “stepped up in response to President Trump’s call for greater burden sharing, significantly increasing defence spending and providing seamless access, basing, and overflight for US forces in support of Operation Epic Fury”.
They argued that any reduction should be done in coordination with Congress and allies, adding: “Rather than withdrawing forces from the continent altogether, it is in the US interest to maintain a strong deterrent in Europe by moving these 5,000 US forces to the east. Those allies there have made substantial investments to host US troops, reducing costs for the US taxpayer while strengthening Nato’s front line to help deter a far more costly conflict from ever beginning.”
Merz’s comments highlighted tensions between the US and Nato as well as European allies over the war in Iran and other foreign conflicts. A Pentagon email leaked to Reuters floated punishing Spain, which has been a loud critic of the war, and suspending it from the Nato alliance.
