Uncertainty Over U.S. Troops in Europe Sparks Anxiety Among Allies

[Social Media]

 

European leaders are increasingly concerned about President Donald Trump’s intentions regarding U.S. military forces stationed on the continent. As tensions grow between Washington and its European allies, speculation over a potential drawdown of American troops has fueled anxiety about the long-standing transatlantic security arrangement that has underpinned Europe’s defense since World War II.  

 

With little clarity on Trump’s plans, European officials fear anything from a symbolic withdrawal to a significant reduction in forces. The key concern is ensuring that any potential shift in U.S. military presence is not dictated by negotiations between Washington and Moscow, as European leaders worry that such a move could leave NATO’s eastern flank exposed before they can reinforce their own defenses.  

 

“This is what they have in mind when they say nothing about European security without Europeans in the room,” said Camille Grand, a former NATO official now with the European Council on Foreign Relations.  

 

Last month, several NATO allies left a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth with the impression that a reduction in American troop presence was likely. According to officials, Hegseth indicated that Europe should expect a reassessment of the U.S. military footprint as strategic priorities shift. The possibility of such a realignment has led European leaders to scramble for solutions, including increasing defense spending and modernizing their military capabilities to compensate for a potential gap.  

 

Vice President JD Vance has added another layer to the debate, tying the future of U.S. troop deployments to European domestic policies. He has openly criticized European leaders for their stance on right-wing political movements and linked military support to broader policy disagreements.  

“There are thousands upon thousands of American troops in Germany today,” Vance said last month. “Do you think that the American taxpayer is going to stand for that if you get thrown in jail in Germany for posting a mean tweet? Of course they’re not.”  

 

Germany currently hosts more than 35,000 U.S. troops, the largest American military presence in Europe. According to three European diplomats, the additional 20,000 U.S. troops deployed by the Biden administration during the early stages of the Ukraine war are expected to be withdrawn.

 

“I would not be surprised if at some point [those troops] go back to their home base in America,” said a NATO diplomat. While the initial deployment was an emergency response, a withdrawal would be seen as a return to pre-war conditions.  

 

Further complicating the situation, there are discussions about whether European nations should send a postwar force to Ukraine to support a ceasefire. Such a move could impact their ability to fill any gaps left by a U.S. troop reduction elsewhere, making negotiations with the Trump administration even more complex.  

 

U.S. European Command reports that the number of American forces in Europe has fluctuated between 75,000 and 105,000 since 2022, with approximately 63,000 permanently stationed there. However, analysts argue that the presence of U.S. forces matters just as much as the exact numbers.  

 

“It’s the sort of physical embodiment of the commitment to European security,” Grand explained.  

 

Beyond just manpower, U.S. forces bring critical capabilities that European militaries still lack, particularly in surveillance, intelligence, and long-range strike capabilities. The presence of American troops also serves as a deterrent and ensures NATO’s ability to respond quickly to potential threats.  

 

As European leaders prepare for future discussions with the Trump administration, they are working to secure their own defenses while seeking assurances that any shifts in U.S. military posture will not come at the expense of European security.

 

Based on a report by WP  2025-03-04

 

 

[newbee2022]

6 hours ago, Social Media said:

Germany currently hosts more than 35,000 U.S. troops, the largest American military presence

Paid by the German Government 

[Andycoops]

The CiC is a coward who refused to serve his country because he wouldn't have access to the orange glow machine.

 

The only country since WW2 to invoke the NATO articles has been the USA.

 

Time to tell them to FO for good and the next time the rag heads stop the cheap oil and bomb the Pentagon we can all sit back and say, over to you but don't call us...

[LukKrueng]

It's all part of the big plan: Make America Small Again...

[Purdey]

Europeans would be better off by being able to defend itself.

[Tug]

Wouldn’t surprise me one bit if trump pulls us out of nato abandoning Europe then refusing to support American made weapon systems in the nato nations.donald belongs to putin and seems to support his ambitions.

[ronnie50]

11 minutes ago, Tug said:

Wouldn’t surprise me one bit if trump pulls us out of nato abandoning Europe then refusing to support American made weapon systems in the nato nations.donald belongs to putin and seems to support his ambitions.

While this might seem counterintuitive, NATO might be better off without US forces in the era of Trump. It seems clear he wouldn't agree to act against Russia if Putin invaded or threatened a NATO allied country. So NATO would be better off without the US and its contrary meddling in the organization. However, that means the rest of NATO - particularly UK, France and Canada (and all the others) would need to really up their game (money, troops, IT, etc), and become deliberately more aggressive.

[Tug]

3 minutes ago, ronnie50 said:

While this might seem counterintuitive, NATO might be better off without US forces in the era of Trump. It seems clear he wouldn't agree to act against Russia if Putin invaded or threatened a NATO allied country. So NATO would be better off without the US and its contrary meddling in the organization. However, that means the rest of NATO - particularly UK, France and Canada (and all the others) would need to really up their game (money, troops, IT, etc), and become deliberately more aggressive.

NATO is far stronger with Americas membership we have allways been a reliable partner untle the betrayer in chief.

[Harrisfan]

26 minutes ago, Tug said:

Wouldn’t surprise me one bit if trump pulls us out of nato abandoning Europe then refusing to support American made weapon systems in the nato nations.donald belongs to putin and seems to support his ambitions.

US doesn't need NATO. Waste of money.

[KhunLA]

I would love to see no US military overseas.  Total waste of lives, assets & money.  Bring 'em all home 😎

[ronnie50]

2 minutes ago, Tug said:

NATO is far stronger with Americas membership we have allways been a reliable partner untle the betrayer in chief.

Fully agree with that. But if America in NATO can't be trusted to act under Trump, or will use its significant clout at the NATO table to vote down what needs to be done in an continental security emergency situation, then they're better off without USA.

[norfolkandchance]

10 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

I would love to see no US military overseas.  Total waste of lives, assets & money.  Bring 'em all home 😎

Hang on, the Spams will save the world.

[Chomper Higgot]

As things are going US troops in Europe are looking increasingly like the forces of a hostile power

[frank83628]

39 minutes ago, Tug said:

Wouldn’t surprise me one bit if trump pulls us out of nato abandoning Europe then refusing to support American made weapon systems in the nato nations.donald belongs to putin and seems to support his ambitions.

Sounds good, no more American wars of aggression

[wwest5829]

2 hours ago, Purdey said:

Europeans would be better off by being able to defend itself.

Would that reality saw anyone overpowered by a bigger bully could defend themselves. That said, I do not oppose a stronger Europe. Do you have refl3ction on Orwell’s “1984” where there is three regions of the world … ?

[wwest5829]

18 minutes ago, frank83628 said:

Sounds good, no more American wars of aggression

Like WW I and WW II?

[Harrisfan]

25 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

As things are going US troops in Europe are looking increasingly like the forces of a hostile power

Hostile by avoiding wars 

[lordgrinz]

Let Europe deal with issues on their side of the world, how many more wars over there need to be our problem? They seem to be unable to get along over there, too many wars in that region throughout history, maybe they should figure out how to get along better, or spend money defending/offending each other from their own pockets.

[connda]

Good - It's been a gravy-train for too long with the US tax-payers paying for all the gravy. 
Bring the troops home and put them on the border.

[frank83628]

14 minutes ago, wwest5829 said:

Like WW I and WW II?

I'm not 100yrs old, so couldnt care less about either of those, its 2025

[Tug]

1 hour ago, frank83628 said:

I'm not 100yrs old, so couldnt care less about either of those, its 2025

Swishh is the sound of something passing over your head.NATO was created to check Russian aggression in Europe period all stop everyone found out trying to appease the aggressor doesent work (chamberlain)furthermore nato was created by the likes of Churchill marshal de gall ect ect you know the guys that were shaped by the hell that was WW2. Now I realize that being a New York trust fund baby and getting 400 million and a bunch of rentals from da da is a harrowing experience far greater than Churchill or any of his contemporaries could have possibly faced(sarcasm alert)…… remember BUCHA? Now take a walk in Zelenskyys shoes…..sad !

[frank83628]

3 hours ago, Tug said:

Swishh is the sound of something passing over your head.NATO was created to check Russian aggression in Europe period all stop everyone found out trying to appease the aggressor doesent work (chamberlain)furthermore nato was created by the likes of Churchill marshal de gall ect ect you know the guys that were shaped by the hell that was WW2. Now I realize that being a New York trust fund baby and getting 400 million and a bunch of rentals from da da is a harrowing experience far greater than Churchill or any of his contemporaries could have possibly faced(sarcasm alert)…… remember BUCHA? Now take a walk in Zelenskyys shoes…..sad !

ahh yes, bucha, just like Assad gassing his own people... take a walk in the shoes of those in donbass who's relatives were murdered by your goverments funded  mob.

Nato formed agaist Russia, the Soviet Union ended, so should NATO, but then the Yanks double crossed Russia and started expanding nato eastward.

 

 

[jts-khorat]

5 hours ago, connda said:

Good - It's been a gravy-train for too long with the US tax-payers paying for all the gravy. 
Bring the troops home and put them on the border.

 

A gravy train it has been, but only for the American industrial-military complex.

 

Due to the USA being the strongest member of NATO, there has been pressure to buy American weapons -- to the tune of 100 billion USD a year. This makes the other countries of NATO by far the biggest customer of the US.

 

All the while, there are great European weapons systems, see German defence companies. Their stock have risen over 25% since Trump started to manhandle his "allies" with tariffs.

 

I for one think that the American troops should move out immediatly, and not another unnecessary Euro spent on American weapons. Lets ship them all to Ukraine, where they are scrapped in the process of removing Russians and replace everything new with European systems.

[Chomper Higgot]

6 hours ago, frank83628 said:

I'm not 100yrs old, so couldnt care less about either of those, its 2025

And incapable of learning any lessons from those wars.

 

 

[thaibeachlovers]

15 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

Paid by the German Government 

They would be better paying for their own 35,000 troops, but they probably couldn't find that many willing to join the military without conscription. It's not an attractive career for soft boys that like to play games and look at porn on the internet in mummy's basement.

[thaibeachlovers]

58 minutes ago, jts-khorat said:

 

A gravy train it has been, but only for the American industrial-military complex.

 

Due to the USA being the strongest member of NATO, there has been pressure to buy American weapons -- to the tune of 100 billion USD a year. This makes the other countries of NATO by far the biggest customer of the US.

 

All the while, there are great European weapons systems, see German defence companies. Their stock have risen over 25% since Trump started to manhandle his "allies" with tariffs.

 

I for one think that the American troops should move out immediatly, and not another unnecessary Euro spent on American weapons. Lets ship them all to Ukraine, where they are scrapped in the process of removing Russians and replace everything new with European systems.

Good idea except we are informed that the Euros and the UK are broke. So what will they cut to fund their own defense forces?

[thaibeachlovers]

6 hours ago, frank83628 said:

I'm not 100yrs old, so couldnt care less about either of those, its 2025

You should. The world you live in was created by those two events, and those that forget history are condemned to repeat it.

[thaibeachlovers]

7 hours ago, wwest5829 said:

Like WW I and WW II?

Vietnam, Iraq one and two, Afghanistan, and a few in support of a certain country, not forgetting Ukraine.

[thaibeachlovers]

7 hours ago, wwest5829 said:

Would that reality saw anyone overpowered by a bigger bully could defend themselves. That said, I do not oppose a stronger Europe. Do you have refl3ction on Orwell’s “1984” where there is three regions of the world … ?

IMO we live in 1984, though it's less intrusive so as not to alarm the sheeple.

[MicroB]

11 hours ago, Tug said:

Wouldn’t surprise me one bit if trump pulls us out of nato abandoning Europe then refusing to support American made weapon systems in the nato nations.donald belongs to putin and seems to support his ambitions.

 

The DoD basically get kit at a discount price. Development is funded by the DoD through programmes, and then they expect a discount, and manufacturers charge a premium to other buyers, who are generally fiends and allies, because only they get the export licences.

 

This sudden enthusiasm for re-industrialisation is good news for European arms manufacturers (Babock, Thales, BAE, Rheinmettal (sp)). Bad news for US arms maker, who were an export success. Costs will likely rise in order to preserve corporate warchests (the defence industry doesn't exactly have a flat revenue profile, and contrary to many assumptions, companies are always trying to work out how they can get out of it, diversify. Its a real pain to go ask the government for permission everytime you send a salesman overseas or invite a customer over for a factory tour.

 

Its a staggering statistic that 60% of Americans in Iraq weren't in uniform. They were contractors, keeping rapidly deployed systems running.

 

What wouldn't surprise me is  the Americans blocking the transfer of American made munitions purchased by Europe to Ukraine. I'd also expect tariffs to be employed for force Europe to buy weaponry.

 

Then there is Starlink. Musk could shutdown Starlink access for Ukraine, but open it up for Russia. But, that will be the death knell for that company, because who would trust it. Its not the only space based internet service based provider in town.

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2025/03/04/britain-france-plot-replace-musk-starlink-ukraine/

 

Quote

 

Satellites backed by the British taxpayer could be used to replace Elon Musk’s Starlink in Ukraine as the United States withdraws its military support for the country.

OneWeb, the London-based subsidiary of French satellite company Eutelsat, said it was ready to “swiftly deploy” equipment to Ukraine.

Shares in Eutelsat, which is 10pc owned by the UK taxpayer, have risen by 200pc since Friday, on the prospect that the system may replace Starlink, owned by Mr Musk’s SpaceX.

Starlink’s satellite internet system has been a lifeline for Ukrainian soldiers and drone pilots but has been financed partly by the US Department of Defence. Around half of the 42,000 Starlink terminals in Ukraine are paid for by Poland.

A Eutelsat spokesman said the company was already operating in Ukraine and that OneWeb could provide an “alternative”.