Donald Trump Pulling US Troops From Europe in Blow to NATO Allies: Report

Reports suggest that the plans are to withdraw approximately 20,000 American troops from Europe, according to a major Italian news agency.

A European diplomatic source said that Trump, who took office on Monday for his second term, desires to lower the number of American troops in Europe by approximately 20 percent and intends to request a “financial contribution” for the upkeep of the remaining troops.

has requested comment from the White House.

Why It Matters

US-based allies in Europe at a time when Russia’s relations with the West are at their lowest point since the Cold War. Russian officials have repeatedly hinted that Moscow could plan attacks against members of the NATO military alliance, in response to their support of Ukraine throughout the war.

What To Know

About 100,000 American troops are stationed in Europe right now. A diplomatic source stated that Trump wants other NATO member countries to pay their share, saying that as long as the U.S. troops in Europe are a “deterrent,” those costs should not just be borne by American taxpayers.

President Trump has consistently advocated for NATO member countries to increase their defense spending to 5% of their annual gross domestic product – a target higher than the 2% benchmark established in 2014 that the majority of member states, including the U.S., are still not meeting.

The individual expressed the belief NATO’s members should contribute a minimum of 5 percent towards defense spending. This is with the understanding that all member countries are financially capable of meeting this requirement, despite currently allocating “2 percent.

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We shouldn’t be upset. We shouldn’t be shocked,” Tusk told lawmakers of the European Parliament, Reuters reported. “Some people consider it excessive or it is a harsh or wicked warning.

Only one who’s on our side can wish for another to become even stronger. That’s not something you’d hear from anyone who stands against us. I’d like to stress that this is a moment when Europe simply can’t afford to cut back on security measures.

What People Are Saying

Furthermore, he would like European countries to contribute financially for those remaining, as these soldiers serve as a deterrent, and it’s unfair to solely burden American taxpayers with these costs.

The truth is defense spending isn’t a popular topic in European countries, including Spain and others. After World War II, we got used to relying on the United States and its military protection, along with its nuclear shield. It’s true that we need to do more in terms of defense spending.

Here in Europe, our main issue is that we don’t have sufficient armaments and personnel. We need funding. We’ve heard President Trump say that the goal of 2 percent shouldn’t be compromised and that it will actually end up being 5 percent by the time you’re done is my expectation for the future.

We should also examine how the funds we’re spending are being used, as the effectiveness of those dollars is quite lacking. Compared to the European military build-up after the Cold War, the current arms inventory has plummeted—despite the money being invested.

At the same time, there are a lot of questions about the U.S. under President Trump’s leadership. I don’t think we should be worried that NATO is going away, but we should be prepared for the possibility that the U.S. might scale back its involvement in Europe at some point. If that happens, European NATO members will need to step up and fill any gap left in NATO’s structure. We should all start thinking now about how we can fill those potential gaps together.

What Happens Next?

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is likely to approve a more ambitious target for defense spending at a meeting in June in The Hague.

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