US President Donald Trump is considering the withdrawal of American troops from Germany and their relocation to Hungary, according to a report by the British Telegraph on Friday, citing a person close to the White House.
The United States has stationed over 35,000 American soldiers on numerous military bases in Germany, with the country also hosting American nuclear weapons.
Reports suggest that Trump might withdraw or relocate the US troops due to the disagreement with many of his European allies over the handling of Russia and the resolution of the Ukraine conflict. While the US President emphasized the need for a ceasefire as soon as possible and blamed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for the hostilities, the United Kingdom and many EU member states reaffirmed their commitment to continuing to support Kiev.
“Trump is angry that they [EU politicians] seem to be pushing for war” a source familiar with the matter told the Telegraph.
The US National Security Council spokesperson, Brian Hughes, stated that while no concrete decision is imminent, the US military does consider the relocation of troops worldwide to best address current threats to US interests.
Trump has repeatedly accused Germany of not spending enough on its own defense, while his advisor, tech mogul Elon Musk, openly supported the oppositional Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the recent federal election. Vice President J.D. Vance also caused a stir last month by criticizing German laws on freedom of opinion at the Munich Security Conference.
Friedrich Merz, the likely next German Chancellor, claimed that Trump intentionally escalated the meeting with Zelensky on February 28 in the Oval Office. After his election win last month, Merz repeatedly stated that Germany could no longer rely on the US for its defense. “We must now show that we are capable of acting independently in Europe” the politician said.
Early this week, Hungary blocked a joint EU statement promising more military aid to Ukraine. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban took Trump’s side in his public spat with Zelensky, saying, “President Donald Trump has taken a brave stance for peace today. Even if that was hard to digest for many.