The United States will cut its troop presence in Germany by more than 25 percent, former American officials said on Friday, as the Trump administration sends a frosty message to a major NATO ally and shrinks a military footprint long resented by the Kremlin.
The new cap, approved by President Trump and Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper, will limit American troops in Germany to 25,000, said a former senior official with knowledge of the decision. That would mean a reduction of 9,500, or more than one quarter, from current levels. […]
The United States currently bases more troops in Germany than in any other country except Japan. The American presence there is a legacy of World War II, and became a cornerstone of the country’s Cold War defense of Europe against the Soviet Union.
Now, American troops in Germany operate a military hospital in Ramstein, staff training grounds used by the Atlantic alliance — and they provide ground forces to reinforce allies across Europe and beyond, as well as a legacy deterrent to Russian aggression.
The drawdowns will include an Air Force F-16 squadron and Army support units, according to a former Defense Department official. Läs artikel