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US troops pull out from Germany: What it means for NATO | DW News
May 2, 2026
Posted 2 hours ago by
Germany is seeking to play down the impact of President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw 5,000 US troops from the country. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius called the move "anticipated," stressing that Europe must strengthen its role within NATO. The decision comes amid a feud with Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who criticized Trump's handling of the Iran war.
Ralf Hechler, mayor of Ramstein — home to the largest US airbase outside the United States — says Germany is being punished for that criticism. We speak with DW Washington correspondent Benjamin Alvarez Gruber on reactions in the US, and ask Constanze Stelzenmüller of the Brookings Institution if there is in fact a transatlantic fallout. 00:08 Defense Minister Boris Pistorius calls the move “anticipated” 00:38 DW’s Benjamin Alvarez Gruber 04:50 Ralf Hechler, mayor of Ramstein 05:45 Constanze Stelzenmüller of the Brookings Institution #dwcurrentaffairs For more news go to: http://www.dw.com/en/ Follow DW on social media: ►Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwnews ►TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dwnews ►Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/deutschewellenews/ ►Twitter: https://twitter.com/dwnews Für Videos in deutscher Sprache besuchen Sie: https://www.youtube.com/dwdeutsch Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/user/deutschewelleenglish?sub_confirmation=1
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