Trump has a new target in Europe – and there is a price for speaking up
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has drawn criticism from US President Donald Trump after publicly stating that America is being 'humiliated' by Iran and lacks a clear strategy in the ongoing conflict. In response, Trump threatened to withdraw US troops from Germany, and the Pentagon moved to remove a 5,000-strong army brigade and halt missile deployments. The incident has strained NATO relations and highlighted the risks European leaders face when openly challenging US foreign policy.
- ▪German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized the US approach to the war with Iran, saying America was being 'humiliated' and lacked a convincing strategy.
- ▪President Donald Trump responded by threatening to withdraw US troops from Germany, a move followed by the Pentagon's decision to remove a brigade of about 5,000 soldiers.
- ▪The US also halted plans to deploy long-range conventional missiles to Germany and imposed higher tariffs on European cars, affecting Germany's economy.
- ▪Germany hosts around 49,000 US military and civilian personnel, making it the European country with the largest US military presence.
- ▪While troop withdrawal plans predated Merz's comments, the timing suggests his remarks accelerated the administration's actions.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Sydney Morning Herald.