United States President Donald Trump, in a social media post on Wednesday announced he was “studying and reviewing the possible reduction of Troops in Germany,” in apparent retaliation for comments by Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, that Iran has “humiliated” the United States.
Trump’s criticism of Merz is part of a series of attacks on European leaders, especially since their refusal to support the The US/Israeli attack on Iran on February 28.
The US has a sizeable presence in Germany with about 35 000 American troops based there. It is also the centre for medical treatment, aircraft arming and maintenance, and the headquarters for American forces in Europe.
Merz, speaking at a high school assembly in western Germany, said: “The Americans obviously have no strategy”.
“…and the problem with such conflicts is always that you don’t just have to go in, you also have to get out again. We saw that very painfully in Afghanistan for 20 years. We saw that in Iraq.
“So this situation is, as I said, at least ill-considered, and I do not see at the moment what strategic exit the Americans are choosing now.”
The New York Times reported Trump reacted with fury, suggesting anew that he was reconsidering America’s participation in the alliance.
“The Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!” Trump wrote in a social media post.
“No wonder Germany is doing so poorly, both economically, and otherwise!”, Trump said.
Earlier, he had criticised European leaders as “weak” and Europe as a “decaying group of nations”. The Pentagon reportedly was considering options to expel Spain from the Nato for not supporting the war on Iran.
With the realisation that the US is no longer a “reliable” partner, European countries, including the United Kingdom, have started exploring an European defence mechanism. An alliance started in 1949, is beginning to fray.