MÜNSTER — President Donald Trump criticized the Chancellor of Germany in a series of posts on Truth Social and signaled that his administration is considering scaling back the number of US troops stationed in the country. Between 36,000 and 39,000 US personnel are currently based in Germany, with most concentrated at the Stuttgart and Ramstein installations.

"The Chancellor of Germany should spend more time on ending the war with Russia/Ukraine (Where he has been totally ineffective!), and fixing his broken Country, especially Immigration and Energy, and less time on interfering with those that are getting rid of the Iran Nuclear threat, thereby making the World, including Germany, a safer place!" Trump wrote. He also wrote, "No wonder Germany is doing so poorly, both Economically, and otherwise!"

Trump also addressed the Iran issue directly in his posts. "He doesn't know what he's talking about! If Iran had a Nuclear Weapon, the whole World would be held hostage," he wrote.

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said previous US presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton had made similar statements about reviewing US troop deployments in Germany, noting that Obama had said the US would concentrate its forces more in the Pacific zone. Wadephul said a "shifting of forces" was already taking place and that the German military was preparing for the changes. He said it was hard to see the US withdrawing from the Ramstein airbase in south-western Germany because it had an irreplaceable function for the United States and for Germany alike.

"We are prepared for that, we are discussing it closely and in a spirit of trust in all Nato bodies, and we are expecting decisions from the Americans about this," Wadephul said. He added, "We have to take on more responsibilities, we have to develop stronger shoulders."

Roderich Kiesewetter, a defense policy expert for the Christian Democrats, told German media, "Troop reductions were announced some time ago and are no surprise." He said, "The main thing is that they are carried out in an orderly and consensual manner." Kiesewetter said having US troops in Germany, particularly at Landstuhl, Ramstein and Grafenwöhr, was of indispensable interest especially for the U.S., adding that those locations supported the global American projection of power rather than primarily ensuring the defense of Germany.