Report: Trump Wants To Pull 20,000 US Troops Out of Europe

The US has about 100,000 troops deployed in Europe, a result of surges ordered by President Biden

President Trump wants to withdraw about 20,000 US troops from Europe, the Italian news agency ANSA reported last week.

The US currently has about 100,000 troops deployed across Europe, a result of the Biden administration beefing up the US presence on the continent, which began around the time of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Biden brought the number of troops in Europe to its highest level since 2005.

The report, which cited a European diplomat, said that Trump wants to reduce the military presence in Europe by 20% and would like European countries hosting US troops to pay more for the US presence.

US paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division arriving in Poland on February 9, 2022 (photo released by US Army Europe and Africa)

“Furthermore, for those who remain, he would like a financial contribution from European countries because these soldiers are a deterrent, and the costs cannot be borne only by American taxpayers,” the diplomat said, according to Newsweek.

During his previous term in office, Trump planned to pull 9,500 troops out of Germany as part of his efforts to pressure the US’s European allies to pay more for their militaries, but the withdrawal was never carried out, and the plan was reversed by the Biden administration.

Before his inauguration, Trump suggested NATO countries should increase military spending to 5% of their Gross Domestic Products (GDP), which is significantly higher than the alliance’s current 2% GDP goal.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.