Reports suggest that U.S. President Donald Trump is considering withdrawing American troops from Germany and relocating them to Eastern Europe.
It is reported that Trump is contemplating the withdrawal of around 35,000 active-duty personnel from Germany, a move that would further strain U.S.-Europe relations.
Thus, the American president is increasingly reinforcing his warning that Europe needs to take more responsibility for its own defense capabilities.
Around 160,000 active-duty personnel are stationed outside the U.S., with a significant portion of them in Germany, according to Telegrafi.
Brian Hughes, a U.S. National Security spokesman, said: “While no specific announcement is imminent, the U.S. military is always considering troop redistribution worldwide to better address current threats to our interests.”
As reported by The Telegraph, the president is considering relocating troops from Germany to Hungary, which has maintained a close relationship with Russia.
Trump is said to be exploring repositioning some American forces in Europe to focus on NATO countries that have increased their defense spending to meet GDP targets.
This is part of the administration’s plans to reassess NATO’s commitments in a way that favors member countries with higher defense spending.
Otherwise, Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO countries for failing to meet the current spending target of 2%, arguing that the imbalance creates an unfair burden on the U.S.
On Thursday, he suggested that the U.S. could not protect NATO allies who do not meet his spending targets as part of a major shake-up of the alliance.
“When I came to NATO, when I had my first meeting, I noticed that people were not paying their bills at all, and I said I should wait until my second meeting,” Trump said.
“And I did. And I mentioned it, and I said, ‘If you don’t pay your bills, we’re not going to participate. We won’t protect you,’” he added.
During his first term, Trump ordered the withdrawal of nearly 12,000 troops from Germany, where the U.S. had several large military facilities, including Ramstein Air Base, the headquarters of U.S. European Command.
However, the measure was halted by Joe Biden amid widespread criticism from Congress.
