‘The final straw’ prompted Mr. Trump to withdraw 5,000 US soldiers from Germany

German Prime Minister Friedrich Merz said on April 27 that the US did not have a clear strategy in the coordinated attack with Israel on Iran, and assessed that Tehran was showing superiority over Washington in subsequent negotiation efforts.

“An entire nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership, especially by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. I hope this will end soon,” he said.

This is the harshest comment related to the war in Iran made by Prime Minister Merz, who in recent months has repeatedly tried to please US President Donald Trump to avoid causing a rift within NATO.

Mr. Trump in early April angered European allies, including Germany, when he described NATO as a “paper tiger” and affirmed that he was seriously considering withdrawing the United States from this alliance because they did not participate in the war in the Middle East.

Telegraph At that time, it was revealed that Mr. Trump was considering reforming NATO to punish members who did not meet his request to increase the defense budget. Sources familiar with the matter said the head of the White House is also considering withdrawing US troops from Germany, a move he has raised since returning to power last year.

In that context, Prime Minister Merz’s statement was seen as “the final straw”, according to Sam Kiley, commentator on international affairs for Independent.

Angered by this criticism, Mr. Trump realized his threat to reduce the number of soldiers stationed in Germany. On May 1, the White House announced that the US would withdraw 5,000 troops stationed from Germany. He also warned that the US could reduce troops stationed in Italy and Spain, countries he criticized for not participating in efforts to “eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat”.

“Look, why shouldn’t I do that? Italy doesn’t help us at all, and Spain is so bad,” Mr. Trump said.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on May 2 that the US withdrawal of troops shows that Europe must shoulder greater responsibility for its own security and that “Germany is on the right track” when it comes to expanding its armed forces, purchasing equipment quickly and on a larger scale, as well as building infrastructure.

According to Mr. Pistorius, nearly 40,000 American soldiers are stationed in Germany. “The presence of American soldiers in Europe, especially in Germany, is intended to meet our interests and those of the United States. However, the withdrawal of US troops from Europe, including Germany, is predictable,” he said.

While diplomatic responses continue, on the ground, NATO is still preparing to deploy the multinational exercise “Sword 26” in Europe, with the participation of 5,000 US soldiers and 10,000 troops from allied countries, exercising from the Baltic region to the Black Sea. It is unclear how Mr. Trump’s decision to withdraw troops will affect the exercise.

US Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich, who holds the position of NATO Supreme Commander in Europe, told the US Senate Armed Services Committee in March that key bases in Europe help preserve the President’s military options in the event of a crisis and allow for rapid deployment and maintenance of combat-capable forces.

“We need NATO,” General Grynkewich emphasized.

However, Mr. Trump did not consult NATO allies before joining Israel in attacking Iran, but was angry when they refused to join the war or send warships to the Strait of Hormuz.

Prime Minister Merz and other European leaders have repeatedly said that NATO is a defensive alliance, in which members protect each other when attacked, not an organization that attacks other countries. However, this difference does not seem to have been noticed by Mr. Trump and his cabinet.

The United States plays an essential role in Europe’s defense system. US bases in Europe are also the foundation for Washington to deploy global military power. European countries are cautious about the campaign in Iran, but that is not the only battlefield where the US military is or can fight.

“Continuously attacking NATO allies is counterproductive and harmful to Americans,” Republican congressman Don Bacon posted on X, emphasizing that two large air bases in Germany help the US quickly deploy forces to three continents. “We are shooting ourselves in the foot.”

The US deploys military operations in Africa from bases in Europe, and has also conducted campaigns in Libya, Iraq and Syria from here. Deploying US troops to the unstable Sahel region in North Africa is almost impossible without a network of NATO bases.

Currently, 90,000 US soldiers are stationed in Europe, mainly concentrated in Germany. This is where the headquarters of the US Army’s European Command (USEUCOM) is located, as well as one of the country’s leading medical treatment centers, along with many maintenance facilities and weapons warehouses for the US Air Force.

The US Navy’s 6th Fleet is based in the Italian city of Naples, with nearly 13,000 soldiers. About 3,800 soldiers are stationed in Spain, the gateway for operations in Europe and beyond.

Mr. Trump once threatened to “expel” Spain from NATO, which is not within his authority, and weaken Britain’s stance on the Falkland Islands. Before launching the war on Iran, he repeatedly expressed his intention to control the Danish island of Greenland, a NATO member country, and expressed similar ambitions with Canada.

The US President does not always make his threats come true. Critics describe him as “always backing out at the last minute”, while the head of the White House believes his unpredictability is an advantage when dealing with countries like Iran.

Prime Minister Merz and some leaders are taking a tougher stance against Mr. Trump, while countries like Britain use “soft power”, even through King Charles III, to reduce the US President’s controversial statements. But the challenge is that Mr. Trump often directs his harshest criticism toward allies, while rarely attacking his opponents. Currently, Western leaders continue to make efforts to get him to listen to them more, according to commentator Kiley.