this post was submitted on 02 May 2026
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Update/correction: Merz said exchange of words with Trump not reason for American withdrawal

There is no connection between the withdrawal of 5,000 American troops from Germany and the public exchange of words between US President Trump and German Chancellor Merz. Merz stated this in an interview with the German broadcaster ARD.

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[–] bjoern_tantau@swg-empire.de 45 points 3 months ago (1 children)
[–] aradazer@feddit.org 27 points 3 months ago
[–] cron@feddit.org 38 points 3 months ago (1 children)

The redeployment of troops will bring the number of service members roughly to pre-2022 levels

They reduce troop numbers by less than 10%. I believe this is mostly theatre, and not a real policy change.

[–] Jiral@lemmy.org 4 points 3 months ago

Maybe so, but still a development in the right direction.

[–] snoons@lemmy.ca 30 points 3 months ago (2 children)

And again trump shoots himself in the foot, the same way he did when he stopped usaid. Oh well. Let them blunder their way into obscurity. We are better for it.

[–] BestBouclettes@jlai.lu 33 points 3 months ago (1 children)

He never understood what soft power means, he only understands high school bully levels of "power" and strength.

[–] Puddinghelmet@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Europe and Nato will show them the immense power of diplomacy by putting pressure on both America and Iran to stop this fight which is going too far. Pressure them maybe together with China and south Asia into coming to a solution. Even that Obama deal was better...

[–] BestBouclettes@jlai.lu 12 points 3 months ago (2 children)

Meh, Europe can't even agree on sanctioning Israel for blatant violation of international law. No way they're going to denounce and sanction Trump.

[–] Puddinghelmet@lemmy.world 0 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

Isn't netanyahu convicted in the ICC? There's an arrest warrant for him, and doesn't america make does weapons?

[–] Watermark710@piefed.social 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

and doesn’t america make does weapons?

I have no idea what you're trying to say.

[–] voxthefox@lemmy.blahaj.zone 2 points 3 months ago

I think hes trying to say "doesn't america make those weapons?" Meaning the weapons used to carry out israel's operations.

[–] Zwuzelmaus@feddit.org -3 points 3 months ago

No. The ones who try to mix Israel topics into everything are the ones who don't understand things.

[–] tomiant@piefed.social 10 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Kinda depends on whether this is all Putin weakening Europe "for some reason".

We better get our shit sorted militarily fast. A joint EU force would be pretty nice to have.

[–] snoons@lemmy.ca 1 points 3 months ago
[–] saltesc@lemmy.world 26 points 3 months ago

Oh, congrats on the W, Germany.

[–] brainwashed@feddit.org 18 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)
[–] BaraCoded@literature.cafe 14 points 3 months ago

Good. Now, do the same with all troops worldwide.

[–] Zacryon@feddit.org 11 points 3 months ago

I don't see anything bad about it.

[–] timestatic@feddit.org 10 points 3 months ago

We should honestly just tell them to pull out all their troops and close their bases and watch them scramble. Those bases are very much in the interest of the US projecting power on the middle east and africa

[–] istdaslol@feddit.org 9 points 3 months ago (1 children)

thats just 13% of the total force stationed in germany. He wont give up Rammstein, the Pentagon would litterly shoot him if he tried, as this is the place they command/control their drones etc. for the middle east.

[–] GarbadgeGoober@feddit.org 2 points 3 months ago

I am still have not given hope, that one day Germany will just threaten the US to close Ramstein or actually will do it. If the troll in the white house keeps threatening us.

[–] richardwonka@slrpnk.net 8 points 3 months ago

Merz is amazing. He gets into beef with the US whilst still keeping Germany firmly on the wrong side of history.

The guy makes life worse for everyone. I’d say he’s slightly better than trump, but that’s just because he’s not fully demented and the German Government Structure is not fully defunct (yet?)

Worst of all worlds. #LeckEier

[–] You@feddit.org 7 points 3 months ago

Bet the troops would like to stay in Germany.

From Trump's side it's used as deflection from the fact that he has to send more troops into his not-war-but-military-operation anyway. Something he actually is good at - deflection and pretending.

[–] rumschlumpel@feddit.org 6 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Good riddance. I don't like having an invasion force within our borders. Please withdraw the rest as well and take the fucking nukes along.

[–] Jiral@lemmy.org 5 points 3 months ago

It is nice to hear good news every once in a while.