&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "'We European must take greater responsibility for our security', says German Defence Minister after Trump orders US troop withdrawal")
Hours after United States President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of 5,000 US troops from Germany, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius on Saturday (May 2) acknowledged that the presence of US forces in Europe especially Germany is in "our interest and US." He, however, stressed the need for European countries to take larger responsibility of security in the region.
"Presence of US soldiers in Europe and especially Germany is in our interest and of US," said Pistorius and added, "It was foreseeable that US would withdraw troops from Europe, including Germany".
He then pressed on the need for European countries to take control of their own security.
"We European must take greater responsibility for our security. Germany is growing its armed forces, procuring more equipment more quickly, building more infrastructure," said Pistorius.
"For all future missions, we will coordinate closely with our allies, for example within group of five which is Britain, France, Poland and Italy," he further added.
Germany is the largest American military hub in Europe
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The Pentagon has long said its strategic goal of shifting Europe toward greater responsibility is for its own conventional defense while gradually reducing the American military footprint on the continent.
Germany currently hosts more than 36,000 US troops, making it the largest American military hub in Europe. These forces have been critical for operations projecting US power into the Middle East, with key bases supporting logistics and refueling missions for Operation Epic Fury, the US campaign against Iran.
The cuts would return US troop levels in Europe to their 2022 levels, before Russia invaded Ukraine. The move follows earlier reductions, including the withdrawal of a combat brigade from Romania.
Trump has also floated potential troop reductions in Spain and Italy, criticizing Spain for insufficient defense spending and objecting to its refusal to support US operations against Iran.
