Germany says Trump’s US troop withdrawal was expected

Trump didn't take the ‘humiliation’ comments lightly

According to Boris Pistorius, the German defence minister, the US withdrawing troops from Europe, after the Pentagon announced it would pull thousands of American soldiers from Germany, was “foreseeable”.

“It was foreseeable that the US would withdraw troops from Europe, including Germany”, the German minister said.

The US-German cooperation was vital "for peace and security in Europe, for Ukraine, and for joint deterrence”, Pistorius said.

He added that Europeans must take greater responsibility for their own security, and that in this regard, Germany was “on the right track”.

Meanwhile, Nato has echoed those remarks on Saturday, adding that it was “working” with Washington to understand the reason for the troop reduction.

How the row between Trump's administration and Germany started

Trump’s decision to cut US troops comes amid rising tensions after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the US was being “humiliated” by Iran's leadership.

Merz said that Iran had “humiliated” the US and questioned how Trump planned to end the conflict, saying: “The Americans obviously have no strategy.”

Meanwhile, Trump lashed out at Merz over his criticism, saying that the German leader “doesn't know what he's talking about” and calling him “totally ineffective.”

Trump also announced an increase in tariffs on cars and trucks from the European Union on Friday, which is a move that will hit Germany hardest.

The number of American troops currently in Germany

In Germany, the US currently has more forces than anywhere else in Europe, dating from the end of World War II and the start of the Cold War.

At the time of writing, in the country there are some 36,000 US soldiers stationed, in addition to around 13,000 Air Force personnel.

The number includes personnel at Ramstein in southwestern Germany, which is known as America’s largest air force base overseas.