President Donald Trump has directed the Department of War to withdraw about 5,000 U.S. service members currently deployed to Germany, the Hill reported Friday.
Sean Parnell, assistant to the secretary of war for public affairs, confirmed the withdrawal, adding that the decision was a result of a review of the Department of War’s force posture in Europe and “theater requirements and conditions on the ground.”
The redeployment will affect a brigade combat team and a long-range fires battalion that is set to fly to Germany in the coming months.
The withdrawal is expected to be completed in the next six or 12 months.
How Did Europe React to US Withdrawal of Troops?
Boris Pistorius, Germany’s federal minister of defense, said Washington’s decision to recall American troops was expected, Politico reported Saturday. He added that the withdrawal demonstrates why Europe must take more responsibility of its own defense.
A European Commission spokesperson also told Politico that U.S. military presence in Europe contributes to deterrence and defense in the region.
Meanwhile, in a post on the social media site X, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk decried what he described as a “disastrous trend” in the relationship between Europe and the U.S.
“The greatest threat to the transatlantic community are not its external enemies, but the ongoing disintegration of our alliance,” Tusk said.
Will the US Withdraw More Troops in Europe?
Trump also warned that U.S. service members in Spain and Italy may be withdrawn in the future.
In a conversation with reporters in the Oval Office Friday, the president stated that Italy has “not been of any help” and Spain is being “absolutely horrible.
In October, the U.S. reduced the number of American service members stationed in Europe’s eastern flank, including Romania. Between 1,000 and 1,200 warfighters that were rotated out of Romania will not be replaced, leaving about 1,000 U.S. troops in the country, Bucharest confirmed in a Reuters report.
