US president Donald Trump is considering drastic action to punish three European countries for refusing support over the Iran war and criticizing his handling of the conflict.
Three of the United States' formerly close allies could find themselves losing tens of thousands of US troops, after Trump this week slammed a number of once-friendly countries.
That means that, for the first time in almost 80 years, European allies like Spain, Italy, and Germany could end up with zero American soldiers stationed in their countries. Currently, there are around 52,000 in these three countries alone.
His threat is in direct response to the three major European economies refusing to offer full-scale support with the war against Iran, or in some cases even to let US planes fly over their territory on bombing raids.
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This follows Trump's stark warning on Wednesday to pull American forces out of Germany, the country with the second-largest number of US troops based in it. Rough estimates indicate there being around 40,000 service personnel in the country.
The Commander-in-Chief wrote on Truth Social: "The United States is studying and reviewing the possible reduction of Troops in Germany, with a determination to be made over the next short period of time. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"
And they are split over around 40 bases, from which the US military projects power around the world, whether it's using Ramstein Air Base to refuel jets on global bombing missions or overseeing operations in other theaters of war around the world.
These troops have been in place across Germany since the end of World War Two, continuing through the Cold War as a way to oppose Soviet hegemony in Europe - nowadays providing a bulwark against Russian expansionism.
On Thursday, President Trump announced that it was not just Germany that could lose American protection, responding to a question about his other NATO allies, by pointing to Italy and Spain and saying: “I mean, they haven’t been exactly on board.”
He then elaborated by saying that he 'probably will' cut troop numbers in those countries, adding: "Why shouldn’t I? Italy has not been of any help. Spain has been horrible. Absolutely."
The US has two military bases in Spain, both in Andalucia, along with around 3,800 troops. Around 2,000 US troops are stationed in Italy.
While this may seem like an extreme deviation from the military strategy that has entrenched American dominance for decades, it lines up with repeated threats made by the president in his two terms to limit costly foreign deployments.
It would also deal a major blow to the NATO alliance, with European armies and air forces nowhere near the scale of those fielded by America across the wider continent, as a Russian war on its most easterly flank threatens a return to centuries of war and destruction.
What have Germany, Italy and Spain done to upset Trump?
Germany
German chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday (April 27) that the US was 'being humiliated' by Iran'.
He added during a school visit in Marsberg, central Germany: "The whole affair is ill-considered to say the least. At the moment, I cannot see what strategic exit the Americans are now opting for."
Trump hit back on Truth Social: Trump wrote: "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."
Other than allowing the US the use of some of its military infrastructure in the conflict, Germany has offered limited support in the Iran war.
Italy
Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, formerly a staunch Trump ally, called the POTUS' attacks on Pope Leo 'unacceptable'. When the Pope called for an end to the Iran war, Trump said he was 'WEAK on Crime and terrible for Foreign Policy'.
In response, Trump said Meloni 'lacked courage' for not joining the US in attacking Iran.
Italy has shown increasing unease about the situation in the Middle East, and last month suspended a defense agreement with Israel.
Spain
Spain has refused to allow the US to use its air bases in its Iran campaign, and closed its airspace to US planes involved in the Iran war.
Spanish prime minister Pedro Sánchez promised 'full co-operation with its allies, but always within the framework of international law'.
In retaliation, Reuters reported that a leaked Pentagon email mulled trying to suspend Spain from NATO.
Topics: Donald Trump, Military, Europe, Germany
William Morgan