The US’ planned withdrawal of 5,000 troops from Germany is symptomatic of a widening transatlantic rift that risks leaving Europe with drastic security gaps.
Berlin looked to downplay the impact of the drawdown, announced Friday, though US President Donald Trump said Washington would cut troop numbers “a lot further.”
The move escalates a dispute between Trump and Germany’s chancellor, who last week criticized the US’ war strategy.
But it carries wider implications for Europe, where a continent-wide rearmament isn’t keeping up with Washington’s pullback; Trump said he is also weighing troop reductions in Italy and Spain.
The US’ top diplomat is traveling to Rome this week, a trip that could signal a “thaw” in relations, an Italian outlet wrote.