- Merz says the withdrawal is not related to his criticism of U.S. policy in Iran.
- The Pentagon will withdraw 5,000 German troops, raising concerns.
- The Biden-era missile deployment plan is also considered abandoned.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he had to accept that President Donald Trump did not share his views in order to work with the United States in NATO, but stressed there was no link between their division and a planned troop withdrawal.
Merz rejected suggestions that his criticism of U.S. war plans in Iran triggered Washington’s Friday announcement that the United States would reduce its military presence in Germany, its largest European base, by 5,000 troops, and reiterated his commitment to the transatlantic alliance.
Merz questioned whether Trump had a plan to exit the Middle East and said the United States was “embarrassed” in negotiations with Iran. Trump then called Merz an “ineffective” leader.
“I have to accept that the American president has a different point of view than us on these issues. But that does not change the fact that I remain convinced that the Americans are important partners for us,” Merz told public broadcaster ARD in an interview to be broadcast later on Sunday.
Asked whether U.S. plans to reduce its troop presence in Germany had anything to do with the dispute between the two leaders, Merz replied: “There is no connection.”
Trump called in his first term for a reduction in the US military presence in Germany and has repeatedly called on Europeans to take greater responsibility for their own security.
Friday’s announcement is also seen as a cancellation of a plan by the Joe Biden administration to deploy a U.S. battalion equipped with long-range Tomahawk missiles to Germany.
This is a blow for Berlin, which had insisted on this measure as a powerful deterrent against Russia, while the Europeans themselves are developing such weapons.
Merz said Trump never committed to the plan and the U.S. was unlikely to abandon such weapons systems, adding: “If I’m not mistaken, the Americans don’t have enough right now.”
