Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk has issued an urgent warning that NATO is 'disintegrating' following the United States' announcement that it will withdraw thousands of troops from Germany. In a social media post, Tusk stated: 'The greatest threat to the transatlantic community are not its external enemies, but the ongoing disintegration of our alliance. We must all do what it takes to reverse this disastrous trend.'
US Troop Withdrawal Plan
The US has revealed plans to pull approximately 5,000 troops out of Germany over the next six to 12 months. While former President Donald Trump had long called for a reduced military presence in Germany, the downsizing was accelerated this week after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz remarked that the US is being 'humiliated' during negotiations with Iran. Trump responded on Truth Social, urging Merz to focus on ending the war in Ukraine and 'his broken Country' rather than interfering with negotiations.
Pentagon's Response
A senior Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described recent German rhetoric as 'inappropriate and unhelpful.' The official added: 'The president is rightly reacting to these counterproductive remarks.' As part of the decision, a Biden-era plan to deploy a US battalion with long-range Tomahawk missiles to Germany has also been dropped—a significant blow to Berlin, which had advocated for the move as a powerful deterrent against Russia.
Germany's Reaction
Germany's Defence Minister Boris Pistorius took the US decision in stride, noting that the partial withdrawal was expected and would affect a current US presence of almost 40,000 soldiers stationed in Germany. 'We Europeans must take on more responsibility for our own security,' Pistorius said, adding that 'Germany is on the right track' by expanding its armed forces, speeding up military procurement, and building infrastructure. Germany hosts the US military's largest basing location in Europe, serving as a key training hub with more than 35,000 active-duty personnel.
Uncertainty and NATO's Position
The Pentagon did not specify which bases would be affected, nor whether the troops would return to the US or be redeployed within Europe or elsewhere. A NATO spokesperson confirmed that the alliance is working with the US to understand the details of the decision.
