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President Trump’s decision to withdraw 5,000 US troops from Germany has drawn rare criticism from senior Republicans in Congress. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker and House counterpart Mike Rogers issued a joint statement warning the move “risks undermining deterrence and sending the wrong signal to Vladimir Putin.”
The two Republican leaders argued the 5,000 troops should not be withdrawn from Europe entirely but relocated further east, closer to Russia’s borders. “Prematurely reducing America’s forward presence in Europe before those capabilities are fully realised risks undermining deterrence,” they stated.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the decision followed a “thorough review” accounting for “theater requirements and conditions on the ground,” with the withdrawal expected to take six to twelve months. The US currently maintains over 36,000 active-duty troops in Germany — its largest military deployment in Europe.
Speaking on Saturday, Trump indicated the cuts would go even further: “We’re going to cut way down, and we’re cutting a lot further than 5,000.” He has also suggested potential troop reductions in Italy and Spain.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk issued a stark warning: “The greatest threat to the transatlantic community is not its external enemies, but the ongoing disintegration of our alliance.” He called on all member states to reverse what he termed a “disastrous trend.”
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius called the Pentagon decision “foreseeable” but stressed that “the presence of American soldiers in Europe, and particularly in Germany, is in our interest and in the interest of the US.” Germany is projected to spend €105.8 billion on defence in 2027, reaching 3.1% of GDP including aid to Ukraine — well above NATO’s 2% target.
NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said the alliance is seeking clarification from Washington, noting the decision “underscores the need for Europe to continue to invest more in defence and take on a greater share of the responsibility for our shared security.”