Trump threatens to pull NATO troops from Germany after Merz criticised Iran war | World | News
In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, April 29, Trump said: “The United States is investigating and reviewing the possible reduction of troop numbers in Germany and will commit to this issue within the next short time. Thank you for your interest in this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
He did not offer further details or context on the possible reduction of troops.
Earlier this week, Trump expressed his disappointment with Friedrich Merz after the German Chancellor dealt a major blow to the US plan in the Iran war.
On Monday, Merz claimed that the United States “clearly entered this war without any strategy.”
During a discussion with students at a high school in Marsberg, in the Sauerland region, he said: “Especially because the Iranians are clearly negotiating very skillfully – or not so skillfully. An entire nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership.”
The German Chancellor also said: “Because the Iranians are clearly stronger than previously thought, and it is clear that the Americans also lack a truly convincing strategy in the negotiations.”
Trump responded to this question in a separate post on Truth Social: “German Chancellor Friedrich Merz thinks it’s okay for Iran to have Nuclear Weapons. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!”
“If Iran had a Nuclear Weapon, the whole World would be held hostage. I’m doing something with Iran right now that other nations or Presidents should have done a long time ago.”
“No wonder Germany is in such bad shape, both economically and otherwise! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
Trump’s posts follow a series of attacks on NATO allies over what he sees as a lack of support for the United States’ war with Iran.
The United States and Iran have been in conflict since February 28, when joint US-Israeli forces launched an attack on some key regions of Iran, and Iran retaliated, striking regions in the Middle East and blocking the critical Strait of Hormuz trade route.
It was previously reported that the Trump administration was considering a plan to punish some members of the NATO alliance that it believed did not benefit the United States and Israel during the Iran war.
NATO, a 32-member alliance, was founded in 1949 to counter the risk of Soviet attack. He now focuses on protecting allied districts by promising that an attack on one member will be considered an attack on all members. It has been the cornerstone of the security of the West.
