Trump’s reported plan to withdraw 9,500 US troops raises concern in Germany
- Move could reduce US troops numbers in Germany to 25,000, against the 34,500 currently there
- It was the latest twist in relations between Berlin and Washington, which have often been strained during Trump’s presidency
The German government's coordinator for transatlantic relations warned that reported plans by the US to withdraw thousands of troops from the country could considerably damage German-US relations.
“The German-American relationship could be severely affected by such a decision by the US president,” Peter Beyer said.
Beyer's comments came in response to reports in the US and German media that President Donald Trump had decided to withdraw thousands of troops from Germany.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Trump had ordered 9,500 US personnel to be removed from Nato ally Germany, which hosts some 34,500 troops. News magazine Der Spiegel put the number to be withdrawn at between 5,000 and 15,000 by autumn of this year.
“It's not just about 9,500 soldiers, but also their families, an estimated 20,000 Americans,” Beyer added. “This would break transatlantic bridges.”
There was no official confirmation of the reports from either side.