Germany: 'No Confirmation' On US Troop Withdrawal

Germany's defence minister said she has had "no confirmation" of reports that the US wants to remove 9,500 military personnel from the country.

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said: “I don’t want to speculate on something for which I have no confirmation.

“The fact is, the presence of US troops in Germany serves the entire security of the NATO alliance - so American security too. That is the basis on which we work together.”

The move was ordered by US President Donald Trump, according to an unnamed US official quoted by Reuters news agency on Friday.

It would leave around 25,000 US troops in Germany by September, with some heading home to the US and others being redeployed in remaining NATO member countries, US reports said.

The US Army has five garrisons in Germany and two air bases.

Berlin has tried to confirm the reports through various diplomatic channels but has had no response, according to Reuters.

It is the latest difficulty in the US-German relationship.

In December 2019, while in London for a summit of NATO leaders, Mr Trump warned Germany to increase its military spending or face unspecified trade sanctions.

Cover image: US airmen carry equipment at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, May 2020 (Picture: US Department of Defense).