Germany said on Thursday it was "prepared" for a possible reduction in US troops threatened by President Donald Trump, while also stressing the importance of a "reliable transatlantic partnership".
Trump had on Wednesday said the United States was considering redeploying some of the tens of thousands of US troops stationed in Germany amid a row with Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the war in Iran.
Merz on Thursday stressed the importance of a "reliable transatlantic partnership", amid a row with US President Donald Trump over the Iran war.
"In these particularly turbulent times, we are following a clear compass," Merz said during a visit to an army training ground in northern Germany.
"This compass remains oriented toward a united Nato and a reliable transatlantic partnership."
Speaking during a visit to Morocco, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said: "We are prepared for that, we are discussing it closely and in a spirit of trust in all Nato bodies, and we are expecting decisions from the Americans about this."
Any such decisions would "be discussed with us and with others, as is proper among allies", he said.
Merz earlier said that Germany's approach to the war in the Middle East "remains oriented toward a united Nato and a reliable transatlantic partnership".
Berlin was "in close and trusting contact with our partners, including and especially in Washington", he said, without directly mentioning the Trump threat.
"We are doing this in our shared transatlantic interest. We are doing it with mutual respect and a fair sharing of burdens," he added.
"This transatlantic partnership is particularly close to our hearts — both to us as a whole and to me personally, as you know."
Merz became a target of Trump's ire after saying earlier this week that Iran was "humiliating" Washington at the negotiating table.
Trump said on Tuesday that Merz "thinks it's OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. He doesn't know what he's talking about!"
Then on Wednesday, in a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the United States was considering reducing the number of its troops in Germany.
Wadephul said that the idea of US troop reduction was "to be honest, not at all a new message", adding that the prospect had been raised by previous US presidents.
While saying he was "relaxed" about the idea of fewer US troops in Germany, Wadephul said that large American bases in Germany are "not up for discussion at all".
He said for example that the Ramstein Air Base had "an irreplaceable function for the United States and for us alike".
Meanwhile, the EU said Thursday that the deployment of US troops in Europe was in Washington's interest, after President Donald Trump threatened to cut force numbers in Germany.
European Union spokeswoman Anitta Hipper said the United States was "a vital partner in contributing to Europe's security and defence".
"The deployment of US troops in Europe is also in the US interest in support of its global role," she added.
Trump said the United States was considering reducing its troop deployment, following a row with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the Iran war. — AFP
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