Trump threatens to reduce US troop numbers in Germany after clash with Merz

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/trump-nato-germany-us-troops-merz-iran-war-b2967763.html

129 points · 42 comments · view on lemmy.world

42 Comments

rumschlumpel@feddit.org · 96 pts · 109d (1 reply)

Don't threaten me with a good time!

IratePirate@feddit.org · 5 pts · 109d

This. Ami, go home!

jagermo@feddit.org · 82 pts · 109d (3 replies)

Oh, please do. We will happily take over the 40 installations, good luck with the supply chain without Ramstein and the holiday locations in Garmisch.

I am so tired of these threatsm

Melchior@feddit.org · 17 pts · 109d (2 replies)

That is just the army. So the air force and marines are not included.

jagermo@feddit.org · 27 pts · 109d (1 reply)

I'd tell him its an all or nothing deal. He likes deals.

homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 109d

*sigh* This would 100% work.

PonyOfWar@pawb.social · 44 pts · 109d

So do it.

connaisseur@feddit.org · 30 pts · 109d

TACO man doing his usual thing

RedSnt@feddit.dk · 28 pts · 109d (1 reply)

Didn't US soldiers stationed in Germany have to use German food banks in order to even eat a few months back?

https://www.euronews.com/2025/11/05/government-shutdown-us-army-tells-soldiers-in-germany-to-go-to-the-food-bank

ajikeshi@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 109d

yep... the were sent to the "Tafel" by their superiors despite being not eligible, due to them having a job and having not filed for social security payments.

Also germany pays substantial parts of costs for building the military bases (e.g. about 1/6 of the costs of a military hospital on the rammstein base https://www.stripes.com/theaters/europe/2024-04-22/rhine-ordnance-barracks-medical-center-construction-cost-13623428.html )

Melchior@feddit.org · 28 pts · 109d (2 replies)

There is nothing, which can replace the US bases in Germany on short notice. These are state of the art facilites, which have been built up over literally decades. Even if you moved them to say Poland or Romania, that would take years and billions.

At the same time with Germany rearming, it should be rather possible for the Bundeswehr to take them over. So the local economy would not be impacted as badly.

Weingeist@feddit.org · 12 pts · 109d (1 reply)

Last time it was talked about thus, the threat was to move to the baltics. Which would probably a good idea anyway as it would scare off russia much better.

homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 109d

Well putin’s puppet won’t do that, then.

20cello@lemmy.world · 21 pts · 109d

As if it's Germany that needs those troops...how idiot must be one to believe this

Arancello@aussie.zone · 20 pts · 109d (3 replies)

Maybe the occupation of Germany after WWII has run its legitimate course?

Tollana1234567@lemmy.today · 14 pts · 109d (1 reply)

merz still wants to cozy up to trump though.

Oisteink@lemmy.world · -8 pts · 109d

Easy fix: dont trust Germans. Fool me once…

ajikeshi@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 109d

occupation? those us bases and us troops in germany only serve the purpose of power projection into the middle east

stoicEuropean@lemmy.ml · 16 pts · 109d (1 reply)

Merz is clearly a POS, but his criticism is the first time I’ve heard him say something reasonable.

ajikeshi@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 109d

100% with you on that one

schnokobaer@feddit.org · 15 pts · 109d (1 reply)

Oh no.

trollercoaster@sh.itjust.works · 10 pts · 109d

Anyway.

Buffalox@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 109d

I don't see the US presence having any benefit to either Germany or Europe. So that's OK Trump, you can take your stupid ball and go home. We have our own ball and a heck of a lot better friends to play with too.

mlatu@moist.catsweat.com · 13 pts · 109d (1 reply)

"threatens"? O_o

oh noOoOoOoooo whatever will we do when all these starving soldiers go back now?

ajikeshi@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 109d

well we can just pretend that we want em here, and revoke all flyover rights for the US... so they will stay here :D

runiq@feddit.org · 13 pts · 109d

Und alle so, yeah

Akasazh@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 109d

Kthnxbye

melsaskca@lemmy.ca · 12 pts · 109d (1 reply)

trump always wants to take his toys and go home, just like any other rich, spoiled brat. I cannot wait for the day when intelligent, serious people are in the positions of power again, if that ever was the case to begin with (I kind of doubt it because we let capitalism in).

homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 109d

We let capitalism in?

Schnabeltierplaisir@feddit.org · 12 pts · 109d

Yeah, sure. Don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out

5715@feddit.org · 10 pts · 109d

Do it or don't do it, but fix your shit.

RedGreenBlue@lemmy.zip · 9 pts · 109d (3 replies)

How does Trump even know that they have troops there. Is someone briefing him and he somehow remembers it or does it come up in discussion. Like, if you are talking to him, don't mention these things.

0tan0d@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 109d (1 reply)

According to reporting, Steven Miller or a similar aids gets it to him via cartoon drawings with a 4 grade language level before the meeting.

homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 109d

I haven’t heard this before and yet it makes complete sense.

“Now this is Mr. Germany. He owes us big because our famous bigly warfighters protect him, so he’ll be ready to take any deal”

ajikeshi@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 109d

he probably got told by putin that there are us troops in several eu countries yesterday

GuyIncognito@lemmy.ca · 8 pts · 109d

every country loves having a bunch of stupid americans going around drunk driving and sexually harrassing local women. this is a serious threat

NigelFrobisher@aussie.zone · 7 pts · 108d

oh no! please don’t remove all your bases from England either!

Ooops@feddit.org · 7 pts · 109d (1 reply)

If Trump was smart -or just able to plan ahead 2 minutes- I would assume that demolishing their own infrastructure supporting all their operations in Africa and the Middle-East then blaming Germany is part of their strategy to excuse their massive failure in Iran.

homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 109d

“Are we still talking about Iran???”

ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca · 6 pts · 109d

Oh no, whatever will a country do if the invaders just packed up and left.

ichwillhierraus@feddit.org · 5 pts · 109d

Man, i wish that happened.

What kind of thread ks that? Germans have nothing to loose, a lot to win if amis go home.

Clutter@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 109d

Throw them all out. Including NATO. It is currently weaker with that whiny idiot in it.

Once out of Germany, he will quickly understand their error in doing so.