The EU said Thursday that the deployment of US troops in Europe was in Washington’s interest, after President Donald Trump threatened to cut force numbers in Germany.
European Union spokeswoman Anitta Hipper said the United States was “a vital partner in contributing to Europe’s security and defense”. “The deployment of US troops in Europe is also in the US interest in support of its global role,” she added.
Trump said the United States was considering reducing its troop deployment, following a row with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the Iran war.
The spat is the latest to rile up Trump against Washington’s European NATO allies, with the US leader already lashing out over their response to his attack on Iran.
In the face of worries about Trump’s commitment to NATO and the Russian war in Ukraine, Europe has ramped up its defense spending.
“Our NATO allies are also increasing their defense spending at an unprecedented pace,” Hipper said. She pointed out that Germany had announced a “three-fold increase” in its defense budget over the coming years.
Meanwhile, Germany’s Foreign Minister said the country was “prepared” for any reduction of US troop numbers in Germany, after Trump threatened such a move in a row with Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
“We are prepared for that,” Johann Wadephul said during a visit to Morocco. “We are discussing it closely and in a spirit of trust in all NATO bodies, and we are expecting decisions from the Americans about this.” (AFP)
