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Armin Weigel
This emerges from the US defense budget bill, which Democrats and Republicans agreed on Thursday in both houses of Congress (local time). There it is said that the US Secretary of Defense must state in a report to Congress whether such a withdrawal would be in the national interest of the United States. The number of US soldiers stationed in the Federal Republic could drop below the 34,500 limit at the earliest 120 days later.
Members of Trump’s Democrat-controlled House of Representatives and Republican-dominated Senate agreed on Thursday’s 4,500-page defense budget package for next year. After being passed by both Houses of Congress to Congress, Trump must sign the bill for it to come into effect.
Regarding the planned withdrawal from Germany, the draft on page 1428 states that Congress continues to value Germany as a strong NATO partner. The presence of “approximately 34,500 members of the US military stationed in Germany” serves as a major deterrent to Russia’s military aggression and expansionist efforts in Europe. US troops in Germany are also critically important in supporting US operations in the Middle East, Africa and Afghanistan.
No more “as soon as possible”
US President Donald Trump (74) announced the withdrawal of some US soldiers from Germany in mid-June and justified the step with what he saw as too low Germany’s defense spending. A total of about 12,000 soldiers were to be withdrawn, which is about one third of the total number of soldiers stationed in Germany.
A few weeks after Trump’s announcement, the now resigned US Defense Secretary Mark Esper (56) made it clear that the plans should be implemented “as soon as possible”. Nothing has happened about it so far. Locations in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria and Rhineland-Palatinate would be particularly affected.
Trump vetoes?
Trump has threatened to block the defense budget with a veto – however, this has nothing to do with the debate on the withdrawal of US troops from Germany, but with a dispute over the regulation of online platforms. In the summer, Trump also threatened to veto the legislative package in the dispute over a possible renaming of military bases.
A presidential veto can be overruled by a two-thirds majority in the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Defense Budget Package (NDAA) is part of a series of bills that Congress plans to pass later this year. The defense budget was approved with bipartisan support for 59 consecutive years.
Republican Trump lost the presidential election on November 3 to Democrat Joe Biden. Trump has so far refused to admit defeat. (SDA)
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