The cost of that policy will not be paid only in Berlin.
Note to my future self.
Friday, the Pentagon announced the withdrawal of 5,000 American troops from Germany over the next year.
Saturday, the President said the cuts would go “a lot further than 5,000.”
Days earlier, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the United States was being “humiliated” by Iran and questioned the administration’s war strategy. The troop announcement came at the end of that same week.
Germany hosts U.S. European Command, U.S. Africa Command, Ramstein Air Base, the Landstuhl medical center, and U.S. nuclear weapons. More than 36,000 American service members are stationed there. The 2nd Cavalry Regiment, central to NATO deterrence on the eastern flank, is among them.
The same week, the administration announced 25% tariffs on European cars and trucks, set to take effect next week. Germany is the bloc’s largest auto manufacturer.
The Republican chairs of both armed services committees said Saturday they are “very concerned” about the withdrawal.
A senior U.S. defense official told CNBC the combat impact would be limited, but the message about American commitment is “very different.”
Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran are all watching.
We have entered a period in which an ally’s public criticism is answered with troop movements and tariffs.
The cost of that policy will not be paid only in Berlin.
Notes To My Future Self 