Berlin, May 4 (IANS) German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said, despite the recent verbal tensions with US President Donald Trump, he would not give up on cooperation with the US side.
The Pentagon announced on Friday that it is planning to withdraw about 5,000 US troops from Germany. This announcement came after Merz’s remarks about the United States being “planless” in its military engagement in Iran and “humiliated by the Iranian leadership.”
During an interview with public broadcaster ARD, Merz also confirmed that the United States will not station Tomahawk cruise missiles in Germany for the time being, but he believed that the plan has not been permanently abandoned, Xinhua news agency reported.
The Tomahawk weapon systems were originally pledged by former US President Joe Biden in 2024 to bolster European deterrence. Along with the troop cut announcement, multiple US media outlets recently said the United States has also canceled the plan to reinforce European troops.
“The Americans currently do not have enough themselves,” Merz said. Calling the United States Germany’s most important partner within NATO, he noted that the US decision to withdraw US troops has no connection with his earlier criticism of Trump.
Trump earlier said that the United States plans to withdraw “a lot further” than the 5,000 troops the Pentagon said earlier this week will leave Germany.
“We’re going to cut way down and we’re cutting a lot further than 5,000,” Trump told reporters before boarding Air Force One in the southeastern US state of Florida.
In response to Merz’s “planless” remark, Trump lashed out at the German leader, saying he “doesn’t know what he’s talking about” and is indifferent to Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Trump wrote on social media on Wednesday that the United States is considering a possible reduction of troops in Germany, and the decision will be made “over the next short period of time.” He said Thursday that he may also reduce US military presence in Spain and Italy.
“Why shouldn’t I? Italy has not been of any help. Spain has been horrible. Absolutely,” said Trump, again slamming European allies for not helping in the US-Israeli war against Iran.
–IANS
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