Trump weighs redeployment of US troops from Germany to Hungary: Report

US President Donald Trump is considering the withdrawal of American troops from Germany to redeploy them to Hungary, according to a report.

Frustrated by Western Europe’s lack of military spending, Trump is weighing up withdrawing some 35,000 active personnel out of Germany, British daily The Telegraph revealed on Friday.

He has repeatedly warned that other NATO members, especially Europeans, must commit more of their GDP to NATO’s military capabilities, a warning most NATO members have ignored so far.

On Thursday, Trump suggested that NATO members should dedicate 5% of their GDP to defense spending, although the US itself does not currently meet that threshold.

Moreover, in a statement, Trump cast doubt on the United States’ willingness to defend NATO allies if they do not contribute sufficiently to defense spending.

Trump is said to be considering repositioning some US troops in Europe so they are focused around NATO countries that have upped their defense spending to meet GDP targets.

“Trump is angry that they [Europe] appear to be pushing for war,” The Telegraph quoted an unnamed source close to the White House as saying.

Brian Hughes, a US national security spokesman, said: “While no specific announcement is imminent, the US military is always considering the redeployment of troops around the world to best address current threats to our interests.”

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With approximately 80,000 US troops stationed in NATO countries, including 35,000 in Germany, President Trump’s potential decision to withdraw these forces and redeploy them to Hungary could further exacerbate the already strained relations between the US and Western Europe.

To fulfill his campaign promise, Trump's team in February started Russia-Ukraine peace talks in Saudi Arabia without inviting Ukraine or any of its European allies

Earlier this month, in the aftermath of a spat with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House, Trump signed an executive order that suspended all aid to Ukraine.

Europe, however, has significantly increased its financial, military, and political support for Ukraine and even considered the possibility of a peace-keeping force to be deployed in Ukraine after the conflict.

Hungary, on the other hand, has maintained a close relationship with Russia, often opposing EU sanctions on Moscow since the Russia- Ukraine war began in February 2022.

At an emergency EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, Viktor Orbán, the Hungarian prime minister, vetoed a commitment to bolster support for Ukraine, which was signed by all other member states.

During his first term, Trump ordered the withdrawal of almost 12,000 troops from Germany. But the move was halted by Joe Biden amid widespread criticism from Congress.

Last week, the two political parties expected to form the next German government agreed to loosen the country’s constitutional restrictions on borrowing, enabling one trillion euros ($1.08 trillion) in spending on defense and infrastructure.

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