The Pentagon announced last Friday the troops would be withdrawn, making good Trump’s threat after he clashed with the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, over the US war with Iran.
But the decision has been criticised by US Republican politicians Roger Wicker and Mike Rogers, who chair the Senate and House armed services committees respectively.
The pair suggested that instead of pulling the troops out, they should be deployed further east to deter attacks on Western Europe.
In a joint statement, they say they’re “very concerned by the decision to withdraw a US brigade from Germany” as NATO allies raise their military budgets.
“Prematurely reducing America’s forward presence in Europe before those capabilities are fully realised risks undermining deterrence and sending the wrong signal to Vladimir Putin,” the statement said.
“Rather than withdrawing forces from the continent altogether, it is in America’s interest to maintain a strong deterrent in Europe by moving these 5000 US forces to the east.”
The senior Democrat on the House armed services committee, Adam Smith, said the Pentagon decision was based on “the hurt feelings of a president who is seeking political vengeance”.
Germany hosts several US military facilities, including the headquarters of its European and Africa commands, Ramstein Air Base and a medical centre in Landstuhl, where casualties from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were treated.
US nuclear missiles are also stationed in the country. The number of troops leaving Germany would be 14 per cent of the 36,000 American service members stationed there.
Trump’s move to cut the troops was sparked by Merz’s comments last week the US was being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership and criticised Washington’s lack of strategy in the war.
The US president also called out Spain and Italy for not helping the US campaign against Iran.
Asked last week if he would consider withdrawing US troops in those countries, Trump responded: “Probably… look, why shouldn’t I? Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible, absolutely horrible.”
