WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� on Wednesday leveled a new threat against NATO ally Germany, suggesting he could soon reduce the U.S. military presence there as he continues to feud with over the .
Trump made the threat after Merz that the U.S. was being 鈥渉umiliated鈥� by the Iranian leadership and criticized Washington鈥檚 lack of strategy in the war. Trump has also for the alliance’s refusal to assist the U.S. in its two-month-old war.
鈥淭he United States is studying and reviewing the possible reduction of Troops in Germany, with a determination to be made over the next short period of time,鈥� Trump said in a social media post.
Merz had said earlier Wednesday that his personal relationship with Trump remained 鈥渁s good as ever,鈥� but he had 鈥渉ad doubts from the very beginning about what was started there with the war in Iran.鈥�
During his first term in the White House, Trump in Germany because he said the country spent too little on defense.
In June 2020, Trump announced he was going to pull out about 9,500 of the roughly 34,500 U.S. troops who were then stationed in Germany, but the process never actually started. Democratic President Joe Biden soon after taking office in 2021.
The U.S. has several major military facilities in the country, including the headquarters for U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command, Ramstein Air Base and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the largest American hospital outside the United States.
Merz just days after the U.S. and Israel began their bombardment of Iran. At the time, Merz told Trump that Germany was eager to work with the U.S. on a strategy for when the current Iranian government no longer exists. Merz also expressed concern that an extended conflict could do great damage to the global economy.
His concern, like many other European leaders, has only grown as the U.S. and Iran have yet to come to a deal to reopen the , the critical waterway through which about 20% of the world global oil supply had flowed prior to the start of the war. It has been effectively closed since the conflict began on Feb. 28.
鈥淲e are suffering considerably in Germany and in Europe from the consequences of, for example, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz,鈥� Merz said Wednesday, hours before Trump posted his threat on social media. 鈥淎nd in that regard, I urge that this conflict be resolved.鈥�
Merz added that his government was “on good speaking terms” with the Trump administration.
Trump, for his part, has hardly been containing his frustration with Merz.
On Tuesday, he wrote: 鈥淭he Chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, thinks it鈥檚 OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. He doesn鈥檛 know what he鈥檚 talking about!鈥� Trump added that it was no surprise 鈥渢hat Germany is doing so poorly, both economically and in other respects!鈥�
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AP writer Pietro De Cristofaro reported from Berlin.
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