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Trump is hard on Merkel's government: "By far the worst offender is ..."

2020-06-17T17:47:14.203Z


Donald Trump wants to withdraw around 10,000 US soldiers from Germany - SPD leader Walter-Borjans is "out of tune".


Donald Trump wants to withdraw around 10,000 US soldiers from Germany - SPD leader Walter-Borjans is "out of tune".

  • According to a newspaper report, US President Donald Trump * plans to withdraw a good quarter of US soldiers stationed in Germany.
  • This should be deducted by September. 
  • Donald Trump threatened Germany with economic consequences (update from June 16, 9:35 a.m.).

Update of June 16, 2:16 p.m .: In the NATO conflict, US President Donald Trump wants to withdraw around 10,000 US troops from Germany. The reason is Germany's participation in defense spending. But that doesn't seem to be the US President's only motivation. 

Germany is one of the few NATO member states that, despite its vehement demands, would not have agreed to meet NATO's self - imposed defense expenditure target . "Germany has been in default for years and owes NATO billions of dollars, and they have to pay that," said Trump. The USA would have to pay for the difference again and again. 

Trump passes judgment on Merkel government: "By far the worst offender is Germany"

Trump also accused Germany of disadvantaging the United States in trade. The EU's ideas for a trade agreement have so far not been to his satisfaction, and Germany is the most important economic force in the EU . Trump has repeatedly threatened to impose tariffs on car imports that would hit German manufacturers hardest in the trade conflict with the European Union.

Germany pulls the US over the table in trade and in NATO. "By far the worst offender is Germany."

The two-percent target of NATO provides to all Allies until 2024 the objective approach to spend at least two percent of their gross domestic product on defense. Germany has increased spending significantly in recent years, but was still only at 1.38 percent of GDP in 2019. Trump in particular is continually criticizing the German government for this, and accuses it of under-engagement. Trump said on Monday that two percent is actually still too little.

USA: Trump announces US troop withdrawal and threatens: "They spend a lot of money in Germany"

Update of June 16, 9:35 a.m .: US President Donald Trump indirectly has the economic damage that a partial withdrawal of US soldiers from Germany would have on the affected locations. "These are well-paid soldiers. They live in Germany. They spend a lot of their money in Germany, ”he said on Monday in the White House. 

The SPD chairman Norbert Walter-Borjans , however, has sharply criticized Trump's plans. "It is obviously one of these topics of the 'America first' and I only look at what suits me and could be decisive for the election in the USA," said Walter-Borjans in the "early start" of RTL and ntv. The SPD leader added: "That is something you have to be upset about ." Nevertheless, he recommended that Germany should fulfill its alliance commitments. 

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SPD leader Norbert Walter-Borjans is "upset" about the plans of the US president.

© dpa / John Macdougall

After a report on massive US troop withdrawals: Trump wants to implement plans

Update of June 15, 10.30 p.m .: It is official: US President Donald Trump confirmed to the press at an event in the White House that he was withdrawing a significant number of US soldiers from Germany.

Germany does not spend enough money on the defense and does not achieve the NATO target, the president justified for the planned withdrawal. If Germany wants to keep the US soldiers, it has to pay. Otherwise, the United States would reduce the number from 34,500 to 25,000.

Update of June 11, 12.30 p.m .:  For the military exercise "Defender Europe 20", which was interrupted due to the corona pandemic, the US is now relocating 600 soldiers to Germany. The German Ministry of Defense informed the Defense Committee in the Bundestag on Thursday that they would arrive on July 10 and train for three weeks at the Bergen / Munster military training area in Lower Saxony. They were supported by 400 US soldiers stationed in Germany. The Bundeswehr is also available for support services, but does not actively participate. 

Defender Europe 20 was designed to be the largest US military relocation exercise in 25 years. According to earlier plans, 20,000 soldiers were to be sent across the Atlantic. A total of 37,000 participants were planned. In March the Bundeswehr ceased to participate in exercises related to the corona crisis. Parts of the military exercise will now continue as "Defender 20 Plus" . For example, the US military has started a maneuver with Polish troops at the Drawsko Pomorskie military training area in western Poland.  

US troop withdrawal: Maas speaks of a complicated relationship with the United States

Update of June 7, 10.20 a.m .: Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) regretted the possible withdrawal of US troops from Germany. The picture on Sunday said Maas: “Should a part of the US troops be withdrawn, we take note of this. We appreciate the decades of cooperation with the US armed forces . It is in the interest of our two countries. "

At the same time, the SPD politician acknowledged problems in the current relationship between Germany and the United States : “We are close partners in the transatlantic alliance. But: It's complicated, ”he said. Maas further criticized US President Donald Trump and his reactions to the mass protests against racism. Maas thinks it is the wrong way to threaten further violence in a very tense situation. "Democrats should always reconcile and not split," said the Foreign Minister. 

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Secretary of State Heiko Maas stressed the prospect of a withdrawal of American soldiers to appreciate cooperation with the US armed forces.

© dpa / Bernd von Jutrczenka

Maas called Trump's behavior towards journalists "extremely dangerous"

He also described Trump's behavior towards journalists , whom he had described as enemies of the people, as  "extremely dangerous" . Populists around the world showed this behavior. They polarized against individual groups and tried to mobilize their own supporters. "This is extremely dangerous," said Maas.

He fears that "the election campaign will polarize the US even more ". That gives no idea of ​​good. A society needs a minimum level of cohesion in order to function. Populists, however, divided society for their own purposes. “Then not only will living together in the country become more difficult, the conflicts will also be fueled at the international level. That is the last thing we need, ”emphasized Maas.

Trump is also sharply criticized in his own country for his supposed plans to reduce troops in Germany. The former commander of US forces in Europe, Ben Hodges , told the Mirror that decision Trumps core team was a "colossal mistake" and a "purely politically motivated maneuver." The magazine also quoted him as saying: "The decision illustrates that the president did not understand how essential US troops stationed in Germany are for America's security."

Ex-US military commander criticizes Trump's approach to alleged troop withdrawal

According to media reports Trump is planning a drastic reduction of US troops in Germany . For example, referring to unnamed US government officials , the Wall Street Journal had reported that Trump had instructed the Pentagon to reduce the US troop strength in Germany from 34,500 soldiers by 9,500 . In addition, a ceiling of 25,000 US soldiers should be introduced, which could also be present in Germany. 

According to the Spiegel , both American and German military personnel are surprised at the upper limit, since they limit themselves in their possibilities. According to Hodges, the magazine says Trump has smashed porcelain with Richard Grenell, the former U.S. ambassador to Germany, the U.S., and Europe. "The congress was not inaugurated , the US commanders in Europe were ignorant, nobody spoke to Germany or NATO," he said. Such an approach, the general said, jeopardizes cohesion within the alliance. 

Poland's Prime Minister hopes that US troops will be transferred to his country

Update of June 6, 2020, 5:23 p.m .:  Given the reports of a planned partial withdrawal of US troops from Germany , Poland is now hoping that US soldiers will be stationed in their own country. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki of Poland said on Saturday the radio station RMF: "I hope some of the troops withdrawn from Germany will come to Poland." The "real danger" is in the east , Morawiecki added with a view to Russia. Therefore, a shift of US troops to NATO's eastern flank would "strengthen the security of all of Europe".

For fear of Russian interference, such as in Georgia and Ukraine, the Polish government has long been committed to the permanent presence of US troops in their country. Poland has shown what a reliable NATO partner it is, said Morawiecki.

Trump wants to withdraw more than 9,000 US soldiers from Germany - US government says

Update of June 5, 2020, 11:11 p.m .: The White House has not confirmed a report by the Wall Street Journal that US President Donald Trump has ordered thousands of US soldiers to withdraw from Germany . The spokesman for the National Security Council, John Ullyot, said on Friday (local time) on dpa request that there is currently no announcement . Trump is constantly checking the deployment of US soldiers abroad. "The United States remains committed to working with our close ally Germany."

First message from June 5, 2020:

Washington - US President Donald Trump wants to withdraw 9500 of the 34,500 US soldiers stationed in Germany, according to a media report . The Wall Street Journal said Friday, citing government officials, that Trump's National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien recently signed a memorandum. The newspaper named September as the time horizon for the withdrawal

Trump apparently wants to limit the number of US soldiers in Germany

The maximum number of US soldiers who can stay in Germany at the same time should therefore be limited to 25,000 . The Wall Street Journal pointed to claims Trumps to Germany , the increase defense spending . In the dispute, the then US ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, threatened partial withdrawal of US soldiers from Germany last August if the federal government did not increase its military budget. 

Also Grenell itself been recalled in February by Trump in the US , to accept provisionally the post of secret service coordinator. The reason for this was that the previous coordinator, Joseph Maguire, had fallen out of favor with Trump and resigned, so a quick interim solution had to be found. In May it was also announced that Grenell wanted to vacate his post as US Ambassador to Germany before the US election in November. 

Trump probably plans to withdraw thousands of US soldiers - Federal government does not speak

 A spokesman for the federal government did not want to comment on Friday evening's AFP request for the article in the Wall Street Journal on the withdrawal of 9500 US soldiers from Germany. 

While Trump * is apparently trying to recall U.S. soldiers in Germany, he is considering using the United States military to keep the protests at bay after the violent death of African American George Floyd after a brutal police operation in Minneapolis. For this he received criticism from many sides. 

Meanwhile, protests against racism and police violence continue in the United States. A demonstration on Thursday evening led to a police scandal that seriously injured a 75-year-old. A video shows terrifying scenes. 

* Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.

Rubric list image: © dpa / Evan Vucci

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2020-06-17

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