US President Donald Trump has threatened troop reductions from Italy and Spain following his warning about Germany. The reason is their refusal to provide military bases for the Iran war. He indicated he will 'probably' pursue such a move.
One day after announcing on Wednesday that he would review a US troop withdrawal from Germany, President Donald Trump escalated. Asked if he could envision a similar step in Italy and Spain, he replied: »Yes, probably. I probably will.«
Trump sharply criticized Italy, stating it had not proven helpful to the United States. On Spain, he said: »Terrible, absolutely terrible«. The US had encountered resistance in both countries regarding the use of military bases for the Iran war. Trump also criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and described relations with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as strained, claiming she did not care »whether Iran has a nuclear weapon«.
As of mid-April, the US military reports around 86,000 soldiers stationed in Europe, with about 39,000 in Germany. Key bases like Ramstein Air Base in Rhineland-Palatinate serve as a central hub for Europe and the Middle East.
