US Troop Reduction in Germany. Spain, Italy Next?
Trump Administration to Withdraw Thousands of Troops From NATO Ally Germany, Pentagon Says
Kurt Zindulka
The United States has announced that it intends to withdraw thousands of troops from bases in Germany over the next year as the Trump administration looks to reshape its forward deployment posture following the conflict in Iran.
In what may serve as the first domino to fall in the Trump administration’s response to public disloyalty from NATO allies in Europe, the Pentagon said on Friday that U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has ordered 5,000 soldiers to be removed from Germany.
In a statement provided to the AFP on Friday evening, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said: “We expect the withdrawal to be completed over the next six to twelve months.”
“This decision follows a thorough review of the Department’s force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground.”
It came after President Trump said earlier this week that his government was “studying and reviewing the possible reduction of Troops in Germany.”
The U.S. leader has also signalled potential troop reductions elsewhere in Europe, including in Spain and Italy, both of which to varying degrees openly opposed the war in Iran, with Spain refusing access to its military bases and airspace and Italy reportedly restricting its airspace for strikes on Iran.
Trump’s action with Israel halting Iran’s nuclear ambitions has revealed a deep division with our purported NATO allies, and stripped bare the facade of their real military capabilities. This conflict will end soon enough and there will be an accounting from Trump.
Also, if I were Argentina I’d be looking hard at another bite at the Falkland Island apple. Britain has no Navy to speak of and Javier Milei is a much better friend to the US than Keir Starmer. Just leave a message, Sir Keir. Maybe we’ll call.
Category: NATO
