Former National Security Council chief of staff Fred Fleitz said the Pentagon’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Germany sends a pointed message to Berlin, as President Donald Trump presses allies over support for U.S. policy.
Speaking Saturday on Newsmax TV’s "America Right Now," Fleitz said the planned removal of about 5,000 troops represents only a partial reduction of the U.S. military presence, which currently includes roughly 35,000 soldiers and 13,000 airmen stationed in Germany.
"Taking 5,000 out is not a complete withdrawal from the country," Fleitz said, adding that the move nonetheless carries significant weight. "It does send a powerful signal," he said.
Fleitz characterized the withdrawal as a response to what he described as Germany’s lack of support for U.S. efforts related to Iran, as well as criticism of the United States by former German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
"Whether this is symbolic or whether Trump is going to follow up on this, I don’t know," he said. "But certainly it is a shot across the bow."
The Pentagon’s move follows earlier warnings from Trump that he could reduce troop levels in Germany, a key NATO ally that has long hosted U.S. forces as part of Washington’s broader European defense posture.
Fleitz said it remains unclear whether the troop reduction is a first step toward a larger withdrawal from Europe or whether forces could be repositioned to other countries.
"I don’t know whether Trump’s going to pull troops out of Europe, or whether he is going to move them to another country," he said.
Despite the shift, Fleitz noted that NATO continues to enjoy strong support in Washington, including among Republican lawmakers.
"NATO is very popular with the American people, with the U.S. Congress, with Republican members of Congress," he said.
He added that while a president has authority to initiate such moves, broader changes to U.S. force posture in Europe would likely require coordination across both parties.
"I think the president can make some of these moves," Fleitz said.
"But a lot of this has to be worked out across Washington, across both parties," he said, adding "I don’t see that happening in the near future."
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Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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