Trump Reportedly Considers Moving US Troops from NATO Allies Not Supporting War, Germany, Italy, France Named

The Wall Street Journal exclusively reported that, according to US government officials, the White House is considering a plan to punish NATO member states that Donald Trump believes are unwilling to help the United States and Israel during the Iran war. The plan includes withdrawing US troops from these countries and redeploying them to nations more supportive of the US. According to the report, Trump recently threatened to completely withdraw from NATO, but this proposal falls far short of that, as legal requirements mandate congressional approval for such a move. This plan has been circulating among senior Trump administration officials in recent weeks and has gained support. It is still in its preliminary conceptual stage and is one of several options being considered by the White House to punish NATO. The proposal highlights the deepening rift between the Trump administration and its European allies after Trump decided to launch a war against Iran. According to the Wall Street Journal, approximately 84,000 US troops are currently stationed in Europe, though the exact number fluctuates due to military exercises and rotational deployments. US bases in Europe are crucial hubs for global US military operations and bring economic benefits to host nations, while bases in Eastern Europe deter Russia. It is not yet clear which countries would lose US troops stationed within their borders. However, some allies have had poor relations with Trump since his return to the White House and have recently incurred his displeasure by opposing the Iran war. The Wall Street Journal notes that Spain blocked US military aircraft involved in Iran operations from using its airspace and is the only NATO member state that has not committed to increasing its defense spending to 5% of its GDP. Additionally, although Germany is one of the largest and most important hubs for US support for its Middle East operations, Germany has also frustrated Trump administration officials after high-ranking German officials criticized the war. Italy also briefly blocked the US from using its airbase in Sicily. As for the French government, it only agreed to the US using its southern French base after the US guaranteed that the landing aircraft were not involved in airstrikes in Iran. According to two government officials, in addition to adjusting troop deployments, the US plan may also include closing at least one US military base in Europe, possibly in Spain or Germany. Officials stated that Poland, Romania, Lithuania, and Greece, which are considered more supportive of the United States, could benefit. Within NATO, these Eastern European countries have the highest proportion of defense budgets and were among the first to express willingness to support international joint monitoring of the Strait of Hormuz. After the war broke out, Romania quickly approved a US request to allow the US Air Force to use its base. However, the US plan could lead to more US troops closer to the Russian border, which might provoke a backlash from Moscow. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt stated yesterday, "It is quite regrettable that over the past six weeks, NATO has ignored Americans, and it is Americans who fund their protection." Trump also wrote on his social media platform "Truth Social" last night, "NATO was not there when we needed them, and they will not be there if we need them again." Senior European officials countered that they had never been consulted by the US about this war beforehand, making it difficult to coordinate in the early stages of the conflict. When the US launched the war, the United Arab Emirates closed its commercial airspace, trapping the defense ministers of NATO members Estonia and Italy in Dubai. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited Washington yesterday to meet with Trump. Despite transatlantic tensions, Rutte sought to strengthen relations with Trump and was one of those who persuaded Trump not to take over Greenland. Since Trump took office, NATO has faced a series of diplomatic crises, with the Iran war being the latest. Trump angered allies by imposing high tariffs on the EU and by negotiating a peace deal for Ukraine with Russian President Putin. Trump also caused a diplomatic crisis with NATO ally Denmark by attempting to annex Greenland, an island within the Arctic Circle belonging to the Kingdom of Denmark. During his first presidential term in 2020, Trump ordered the withdrawal of approximately 12,000 US troops from Germany, but Joe Biden reversed that decision after taking office in 2021. (Compiled by: Yang Zhaoyan) 1150410