TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has tried to downplay tension with the United States after Washington announced plans to reduce the number of US troops in Germany.
Merz stated on Sunday that the US troop withdrawal plan had "no connection" with the strained relationship with President Donald Trump regarding his strategy in Iran.
“I remain convinced that the Americans are the most important partner for us in the North Atlantic Alliance (NATO),” Merz told broadcaster ARD in an interview as reported by Al Jazeera.
"“I am not giving up on working on the transatlantic relationship, nor am I giving up on working with Donald Trump," he said as quoted by Arab News.
Merz emphasized that he still shares the same goal as Trump to ensure Iran never obtains nuclear weapons, although he has criticized the US handling of the conflict.
"We have a different view of this war. That’s no secret," Merz said in the interview. "I'm not the only one who feels that way."
The issue began last Monday when Merz criticized Trump's war in Iran, where the US and Israel launched a war without consulting NATO allies in Washington.
Iran "humiliated" the US, said Merz, warning that Washington has no clear way out of the conflict.
Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul later attempted to retract Merz's comments, saying that the chancellor was referring to Iran's "bad behavior" in peace negotiations.
Trump later scolded Merz for the statement, saying that the German leader “doesn’t know what he is talking about” and threatened to withdraw American troops.
On Friday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the withdrawal of about 5,000 American soldiers over the next 12 months.
This is expected to reduce the number of US troops in the country by about 14 percent. Germany hosts the highest number of US troops in Europe—around 36,000 soldiers. Italy hosts around 12,000, with 10,000 in the UK. Approximately 4,000 US troops are stationed in Spain.
On Sunday, Trump shared an article from the right-wing news site Breitbart on social media reiterating his previous comments, titled: “Trump Tells German Chancellor Merz ‘Fix Your Broken Country,’ Mulls Pulling U.S. Troops from Spain and Italy.”
Trump also announced on Friday an increase in tariffs for cars and trucks from the European Union, where Germany produces the highest quantity.
NATO-US Alliance under Pressure
Germany has been one of the most loyal allies of the US and Israel, with Berlin being one of Israel's most important weapons suppliers.
Merz supported Israel's attacks on Iran last year, saying that Tel Aviv "is doing the dirty work for all of us."
Germany has also consistently supported Israel's genocide in Gaza, while cracking down on pro-Palestinian demonstrators at home through mass arrests, profiling, and censorship.
However, with the onslaught of rising oil and commodities prices, Merz appears to have changed his stance on the US and Israel's war in Iran.
Trump has long criticized Washington's NATO allies in the European Union for relying too much on the US. He has urged governments like Germany to start increasing defense spending and ramp up arms.
Washington intensified these criticisms in recent weeks as European Union countries refused to directly participate in the war against Iran or help force the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Spain, in particular, has openly criticized the war and closed its airspace to US military amid the bombing campaign in Iran.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Saturday that the US decision to reduce troops in Germany was foreseeable.
Speaking to DPA news agency, Pistorius stressed that the US-Europe relationship is important, but also that “Europeans must assume more responsibility for our security.”
NATO spokesperson Allison Hart posted on X that the alliance is “working with the US to understand the details of their decision.”
Read: US to Withdraw Thousands of Troops From Germany
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