US might declare large-scale troop pullout from Europe, says diplomat
The Trump administration is expected to potentially make a statement at the ongoing Munich Security Conference. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
US Vice President J.D. Vance may soon announce a significant withdrawal of American troops from Europe, as suggested by the head of the Munich Security Conference, Christoph Heusgen, on Friday.
Vance is present at the conference, which runs through Sunday, and has already directed criticism at European leaders, remarking that the outcomes for some of the “Cold War's winners” are occasionally unclear.
In an interview with German Radio, Heusgen expressed his belief that “today the American Vice President will announce that a large part of the American troops will be withdrawn from Europe.”
Heusgen’s remarks come on the heels of media reports indicating that US President Donald Trump intends to reduce the American troop presence in Europe by approximately 20%, or around 20,000 troops, as part of a reassessment of the US commitment to Europe.
This week, the Trump administration has indicated a major policy change, urging European nations to take greater responsibility for their own security and that of Kiev.
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth stated on Wednesday that the US aims to shift its military focus toward addressing its primary adversary, China. While visiting Poland on Friday, Hegseth acknowledged a desire for an increased US troop presence there but also encouraged European countries to enhance their defense spending, cautioning that they should not take for granted the perpetual presence of American forces.
In response to discussions about potential reductions in US military personnel, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius remarked on Friday that Europe must “contribute the lion's share to conventional deterrence and defense” on the continent. He added, “Yesterday, in NATO, we agreed to develop a roadmap... to organize the burden-shifting from the US to Europe in the years to come, and to avoid at the same time by orchestrating it, that we run in capability gaps which are critical.”
Trump has previously cautioned that under his administration, the US would not defend NATO nations that do not fulfill their financial obligations. He has proposed increasing the defense spending target for NATO members to 5% of GDP, although currently, no member—including the US—meets that threshold.
Earlier this month, Pistorius stated that Germany would not allocate a significant portion of its federal budget to defense, acknowledging the necessity for increased investment in security but recognizing limits to Germany’s contributions.
In July 2020, during his first term, Trump announced a plan to withdraw 12,000 troops from Germany, citing the country’s failure to meet NATO defense spending benchmarks. However, in February 2021, then-President Joe Biden formally suspended the planned troop withdrawals.
As of June 30 last year, there were at least 65,754 active-duty troops in the US European Command area of responsibility, according to the latest report from the US Department of Defense, with Germany hosting approximately 34,894 troops—the highest number among host countries.
Alejandro Jose Martinez for TROIB News
Vance is present at the conference, which runs through Sunday, and has already directed criticism at European leaders, remarking that the outcomes for some of the “Cold War's winners” are occasionally unclear.
In an interview with German Radio, Heusgen expressed his belief that “today the American Vice President will announce that a large part of the American troops will be withdrawn from Europe.”
Heusgen’s remarks come on the heels of media reports indicating that US President Donald Trump intends to reduce the American troop presence in Europe by approximately 20%, or around 20,000 troops, as part of a reassessment of the US commitment to Europe.
This week, the Trump administration has indicated a major policy change, urging European nations to take greater responsibility for their own security and that of Kiev.
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth stated on Wednesday that the US aims to shift its military focus toward addressing its primary adversary, China. While visiting Poland on Friday, Hegseth acknowledged a desire for an increased US troop presence there but also encouraged European countries to enhance their defense spending, cautioning that they should not take for granted the perpetual presence of American forces.
In response to discussions about potential reductions in US military personnel, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius remarked on Friday that Europe must “contribute the lion's share to conventional deterrence and defense” on the continent. He added, “Yesterday, in NATO, we agreed to develop a roadmap... to organize the burden-shifting from the US to Europe in the years to come, and to avoid at the same time by orchestrating it, that we run in capability gaps which are critical.”
Trump has previously cautioned that under his administration, the US would not defend NATO nations that do not fulfill their financial obligations. He has proposed increasing the defense spending target for NATO members to 5% of GDP, although currently, no member—including the US—meets that threshold.
Earlier this month, Pistorius stated that Germany would not allocate a significant portion of its federal budget to defense, acknowledging the necessity for increased investment in security but recognizing limits to Germany’s contributions.
In July 2020, during his first term, Trump announced a plan to withdraw 12,000 troops from Germany, citing the country’s failure to meet NATO defense spending benchmarks. However, in February 2021, then-President Joe Biden formally suspended the planned troop withdrawals.
As of June 30 last year, there were at least 65,754 active-duty troops in the US European Command area of responsibility, according to the latest report from the US Department of Defense, with Germany hosting approximately 34,894 troops—the highest number among host countries.
Alejandro Jose Martinez for TROIB News
