In another controversial decision, the Trump administration announced Wednesday that the United States is moving ahead with plans to withdraw 12,000 US soldiers from Germany.
This would relocate some 5,600 troops to Italy and Belgium, with the remainder returning to the United States for rolling deployments to Europe, according to the Washington Post. The Pentagon says the plan is intended to strengthen NATO and deter Russia. But Trump, whose explanation has contradicted his own defense officials, says it is because Germany is taking advantage of the United States by not paying enough for its own defense.
In this week’s episode of Mundane, Vox’s weekly international podcast, foreign editor Jennifer Williams and international security and defense journalist Alex Ward discuss the merits of the arguments put forward by the Trump administration and what this could mean for the future of U.S. relations with Europe.
The plan has been widely criticized by politicians and defense experts from across the political spectrum. Senator Mitt Romney criticized the plan as a “gift to Russia,” and Senator Bob Menendez said “Champagne must flow freely tonight in the Kremlin.”
Critics say the plan will not deter Russia; It will do the opposite. The countries where the troops are being relocated immediately, Italy and Belgium, do not face serious threats of Russian aggression. Furthermore, Trump’s relations with German Chancellor Angela Merkel are already wearing thin, so critics also fear that relations between the United States and Germany may worsen further.
And it could cost American taxpayers billions of dollars, according to Defense Secretary Mark Esper.
Shortly after a similar force realignment, when President Barack Obama withdrew some American combat brigades from Germany in 2012 and 2013, Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine in 2014.
But there will still be 24,000 soldiers in Germany after the removal (which could take years), and it is unclear whether Putin will interpret the measure as the “gift” that US lawmakers accuse the plan of being.
To learn more about why the Trump administration is withdrawing troops from Germany and the possible consequences, listen to the full episode of Mundane, which you can transmit below.
And subscribe to Mundane on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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