The US is considering withdrawing US troops from Germany.
This is what US President Donald Trump wrote on his social media, Truth Social.
- The US is investigating and reviewing a possible reduction in armed forces in Germany, and a decision will be made soon, the president wrote without specifying how many soldiers are involved.
Trump's statement comes after he criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz earlier this week over the war in Iran.
The criticism came after Merz said that Iran was humiliating the US in peace talks between the two countries. The talks have been stalled recently.
The Trump administration has repeatedly criticized several Western allies for not participating in the US and Israel's war against Iran, which began on February 28.
The US appears to be considering other measures against Western allies that have not assisted the Americans in the war, writes the news agency AFP.
Last week it was reported that the US was considering trying to suspend Spain from NATO, writes the AFP.
For decades, there have been a number of large US military bases in Europe. Figures from last year estimate that there are around 80,000 US soldiers stationed in Europe, writes the German news agency dpa.
In 2024, the US had more than 35,000 soldiers in Germany, according to figures from the think tank Congressional Research Service according to AFP.
The number of soldiers is believed to have since increased. According to German media, it is now closer to 50,000, writes the news agency.
During both of his terms in office, Trump has made a series of threats to cut the number of US troops in Germany and other Western countries as part of his criticism of NATO.
Following the reluctance of NATO allies to get involved in the war in Iran, Trump has said he is considering withdrawing the US from the NATO alliance.
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