Summary The remarks come amid widening transatlantic divisions over the war with Iran.
WASHINGTON (Dunya News) - U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to reduce American troop deployments in Germany and expand possible cuts to Italy and Spain, amid escalating tensions with European allies over the U.S.-led military campaign against Iran.
“The United States is studying and reviewing the possible reduction of troops in Germany, with a determination to be made over the next short period of time,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday.
He escalated the threat on Thursday, saying cuts could also extend to Italy and Spain.
“They haven’t been exactly on board,” Trump said when asked about the possibility, according to CNN report. “Yeah, probably will. Why shouldn’t I? Italy has not been of any help. Spain has been horrible.”
The remarks come amid widening transatlantic divisions over the war with Iran, which the U.S. launched without informing most NATO allies in advance. Germany was briefed ahead of the initial strikes, according to a government spokesperson, but European governments have largely avoided direct involvement and continue to call for a diplomatic resolution.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz drew criticism from Trump earlier this week after saying the U.S. was being “humiliated” by Iran and questioning Washington’s strategy for ending the conflict.
Germany hosts around 36,400 active-duty U.S. troops, according to the U.S. Defense Manpower Data Center, making it the largest U.S. military presence in Europe. Italy hosts more than 12,600 personnel, while Spain hosts about 3,800.
Tensions have also been fueled by Trump’s repeated criticism of NATO allies and his suggestion that the United States could reassess its role in the alliance, which he has previously described as a “paper tiger.”
European governments, including Germany, have provided limited indirect support for U.S. operations, including access to military infrastructure such as air bases, but have declined to take part in offensive actions.
The dispute marks a sharp escalation in friction between Washington and Berlin, which had largely avoided direct criticism from Trump since his return to office.
