Key points
- US has around 35,000 active duty soldiers in Germany
- Trump has consistently urged Europe to increase defence spending
- Trump is angry with Europe’s tilt towards war: The Telegraph
ISLAMABAD: Donald Trump is reportedly considering the withdrawal of US troops from Germany and relocating them to Eastern Europe.
Trump is contemplating removing approximately 35,000 active-duty soldiers from Germany, a decision that could further strain US-Europe relations, according to the Telegraph.
The US president, who has consistently urged Europe to increase its defence spending, is growing frustrated with what he sees as the continent’s push towards conflict, sources close to the administration have said.
Currently, around 160,000 active-duty US personnel are stationed outside the United States, with a significant portion based in Germany.
Europe’s war mentality
“Trump is angry that they [Europe] appear to be pushing for war,” a source close to the White House said.
Brian Hughes, a US national security spokesman, said: “While no specific announcement is imminent, the US military is always considering the redeployment of troops around the world to best address current threats to our interests.”
President Trump is considering relocating US troops from Germany to Hungary, a country that has maintained close ties with Russia, according to the Telegraph.
At an emergency EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán vetoed a commitment to increase support for Ukraine, which was endorsed by all other EU member states.
Trump is said to be weighing the idea of repositioning some US troops in Europe to focus on NATO countries that have increased their defence spending to meet GDP targets.
Reshaping NATO engagement
This is part of a broader strategy by the administration to reshape NATO engagement in favour of countries with higher defense budgets.
Trump has frequently criticised NATO members for failing to meet the current 2 per cent defence spending target, arguing that this creates an unfair burden on the United States.
On Thursday, he suggested that the US may not defend NATO allies who do not meet his spending goals, as part of a significant overhaul of the alliance.
In remarks to reporters in the Oval Office, he said, “When I first attended a NATO meeting, I noticed that many countries weren’t paying their share, and I decided to wait until my second meeting and I did. And I brought that up, and I said, ‘if you don’t pay your bills, we’re not going to participate. We’re not going to protect you.’
12,000 troops withdrawal
Trump ordered, during his first term, the withdrawal of almost 12,000 troops from Germany, where the US had various important military facilities including Ramstein Air Base, the headquarters for US European Command.
However, the move was halted by Joe Biden amid widespread criticism from Congress.
Earlier this week, the two political parties expected to form the next German government agreed to relax the country’s constitution restrictions on borrowing, enabling one trillion euros ($1.08 trillion) in spending on defence and infrastructure.
It is a big change in Germany’s debt-averse political culture, going away from conventional economic wisdom that long overshadowed Europe’s biggest economy and one of the world’s wealthiest countries.
Fears that the US would call back its troops from the continent have been brewing for some time.
Massive troops withdrawal
Ahead of the Munich Security Conference, head Christoph Heusgen said: “The US will likely announce a massive withdrawal of American soldiers from Europe.”
JD Vance has given the idea that America could reconsider its military presence in Germany, tying continued American defence commitments to Berlin’s stance on free speech.
Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington last month, he said: “Germany’s entire defence is subsidised by the American taxpayer. There are thousands upon thousands of American troops in Germany today. Do you think that the American taxpayer is going to stand for that if you get thrown in jail in Germany for posting a mean tweet? Of course, they’re not.”
Financial contribution
It was reported, in January, that the president wants to minimise the American contingent in Europe by 20 per cent and plans to ask for a “financial contribution” for the maintenance of the remaining troops.
Europe, which has long feared that Mr Trump might cut them adrift, had a day of emergency talks on Thursday in a bid to increase their security.
Twenty countries could join Keir Starmer’s plan to send peacekeeping troops to Ukraine as part of a post-war settlement.
British officials said the group of countries, made up “largely of European and commonwealth partners”, held a fresh round of talks over the strategy.
New coalition
Britain and France are spearheading efforts to establish a so-called “coalition of the willing” prepared to put boots on the ground to secure any agreement to end the three-year war between Russia and Ukraine.
The Prime Minister and Emmanuel Macron, the French president, on Friday night spoke to “compare notes” on their work to get a permanent peace in Ukraine, Downing Street said.
In Brussels, European leaders pressed ahead with their aid for Ukraine despite Hungary’s veto.
“Achieving ‘peace through strength’ requires Ukraine to be in the strongest possible position, with Ukraine’s own robust military and defence capabilities as an essential component,” a joint statement said.
“The European Union remains committed, in coordination with like-minded partners and allies, to providing enhanced political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine and its people.”
