Trump wants to halve US military presence in Germany
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Donald Trump announced on Monday June 15 that he wished to significantly reduce the number of American soldiers in Germany, saying that Berlin had "arrears" in its contributions to NATO and treated the United States "badly" in commercial matters.
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Read moreThe President has assured the press that 52,000 American soldiers are currently stationed in Germany, the main anchor of American NATO forces. " It is a huge cost for the United States, " he added. " We will therefore reduce the number, we will increase it to 25,000 ".
The number of soldiers permanently deployed in Germany was only 34,674 in March 2020, according to official figures from the Pentagon. But this figure can rise exceptionally to 52,000 when rotations in progress are added to military exercises.
The resurgence of Russian military ambitions under the presidency of Vladimir Putin has given the American presence a new importance, but Donald Trump justified his decision to reduce the American presence across the Rhine by the fact that Germany does not contribute not enough for the NATO budget. " Germany has arrears, they have been in arrears for years and they owe billions of dollars to NATO, and they have to pay, " he said. " We are protecting Germany and they have arrears, it's ridiculous ."
Trump treats the United States badly, says Germany
In addition, the American president criticized the first economic power of the European Union for " treating the United States very badly " in commercial matters. " We are negotiating with them on this but I am not happy with the agreement they are proposing, " he said. " They have cost the United States hundreds of billions of dollars over the years in trade, so it hurts us in trade and it hurts us in NATO ."
Initial reports of the Trump administration's plan to reduce the U.S. military presence in Germany had caused concern in Berlin when it was published by the Wall Street Journal earlier this month.
Although their numbers have declined since the Cold War, Germany is home to more American soldiers than any other European country, a legacy of the Allied occupation after the Second World War.
(With agencies)
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