Nows Rumors Turn True.. Trump to Withdraw Troops from Germany

In a surprise move, US President Donald Trump has confirmed rumors he was pulling almost 10,000 troops from Germany, saying that Berlin should live up to its commitments to NATO if it wants the US soldiers to stay.

“Germany as you know is...delinquent in their payments to NATO,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Monday, arguing that Berlin owes “billions” to the alliance. “Why should we be doing what we’re doing if they don’t pay?”

There are some 34,500 US troops currently stationed in Germany, and 25,000 would remain following the redeployment.

During a cabinet meeting, Mr Trump said: "So we're protecting Germany and they're delinquent. That doesn't make sense. So I said, we're going to bring down the count to 25,000 soldiers."

He has said that Nato members should no longer be relying so heavily on the US to shoulder the costs of maintaining the alliance.

The argument between the allies focuses around the target agreed by all alliance members that defense spending should reach 2% of GDP (Gross Domestic Product, the total value of goods produced and services provided) by 2024. Germany, along with many other countries, has yet to meet this target.

On her part, the German Ambassador in Washington stated that the US forces are there in Europe 'to defend the security across the Atlantic'.

During a virtual conference, held by Council of Foreign Affair yesterday, Emily Haber said: "Our cooperation in the military and security affairs has always been strong, and will remain so."

BBC quoted analysts that the sizeable US presence in Germany also affords the US an important transit and jumping off point for operations in the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere.

Strategic experts see this as a step that can only benefit Russia and weaken Nato as a whole. And it's a move that will be closely watched by Washington's allies way beyond Europe, many of whom already see the Trump Administration as an unpredictable and increasingly unreliable partner at a time of growing great power competition.