German Chancellor says the US is NATO’s ‘most important partner’ and minimizes tensions with Trump

Trending videos on g1 German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the United States is the most important partner for NATO in an interview that will be televised this Sunday (3), according to the Reuters news agency. “I remain convinced that the Americans are the most important partner for us in the North Atlantic Alliance,” Merz told public broadcaster ARD in an interview to be televised later Sunday. The declaration comes amid a diplomatic crisis between the two countries related to the war in the Middle East. This Friday (1st), the US announced the withdrawal of 5,000 soldiers from Germany, a move seen as a way of punishing Berlin. When asked in the interview whether the action was related to President Donald Trump’s strategy in Iran, Merz said: “There is no connection.” ▶️ Context: On Monday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the Iranians were “humiliating” the US in negotiations to end the conflict, which has lasted two months. Trump countered the claim the next day, saying the chancellor didn’t know what he was talking about and that Germany was “doing bad.” Afterwards, the president published on a social network that he was considering withdrawing troops from German territory. ✅ Follow the g1 international news channel on WhatsApp Germany is the main US military base in Europe, with around 35 thousand soldiers on active service. The country functions as a strategic training center for Americans. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said this Friday that the process of withdrawing 5,000 soldiers from German territory should be completed within 12 months. A senior Defense Department official, on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that a combat brigade will be withdrawn from the country. A long-range artillery battalion that was supposed to be deployed this year will no longer be deployed. According to the authority, the measures are a response to recent statements by German authorities, classified as “inappropriate and not very useful”. “The president is reacting appropriately to these counterproductive comments,” he commented. According to Reuters, the reduction should bring the number of US troops in Europe back to levels close to those before 2022, when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine led to a military buildup ordered by then-President Joe Biden. Punishment United States Air Force soldier launches drone during military exercise in Germany. Photo from September 2025. Synsere Howard/United States Army On Thursday (30), Trump confirmed that he intended to withdraw troops from Germany and stated that he could do the same with Spain and Italy. “I’ll probably do that. Italy hasn’t helped at all and Spain has been horrible, absolutely horrible,” he said. Germany is among the NATO countries that have authorized the use of military bases for attacks against Iran — a decision praised by Trump. In early March, during Merz’s visit to the White House, the president said the country was a useful partner. Spain and Italy adopted a more restrictive stance. At the end of March, the Spanish government closed airspace to American aircraft involved in the war. The Italians denied the use of an air base in Sicily in combat operations. In early April, The Wall Street Journal revealed that Trump was considering punishing NATO countries for their lack of support for the war against Iran. Among the measures would be the transfer of troops to countries that supported the offensive in the Middle East, such as Poland, Romania, Lithuania and Greece. The plan also includes the possibility of closing a US military base in Europe, possibly in Spain or Germany, according to the newspaper. VIDEOS: most watched on g1

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