President Donald Trump is considering redeploying roughly 35,000 US troops from Germany to Hungary, expressing frustration over Europe’s stance on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. A source close to the White House revealed to The Telegraph that Trump is angered by what he perceives as Europe’s push for war, reports The Daily Mail. This move aligns with his broader discontent toward NATO countries failing to meet the two percent defense spending goal, arguing that the United States has borne an unfair share of the burden.
Currently, approximately 160,000 US personnel are stationed outside the country, with a significant number based in Germany. One potential relocation site under consideration is Hungary, which recently voted against further support for Ukraine despite broad backing from other EU member states. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has historically opposed EU sanctions against Moscow, further complicating the situation.
European Union leaders, acknowledging the need for greater self-reliance, agreed on a plan Thursday to substantially increase military spending. This comes as the “coalition of the willing” to defend Ukraine has grown to around 20 members. On Saturday, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer disclosed that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had committed to considering contributions to the effort.
Trump, recalling his earlier experiences with NATO, reiterated his stance on the financial commitments of allied nations. “When I came to NATO, when I first had my first meeting, I noticed that people weren’t paying their bills at all,” he said at a press conference on Thursday. “And I brought that up, and I said, ‘If you don’t pay your bills, we’re not going to participate. We’re not going to protect you.'”
January reports suggest that Trump intends to reduce US troop numbers in Europe by 20 percent while demanding financial contributions from member states to maintain the remaining forces. This shift in focus coincides with the US government’s decision last week to halt Ukraine’s access to unclassified satellite images, which had been instrumental in their defense efforts. The US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency cited an administration directive as the reason for the suspension, while satellite provider Maxar Technologies confirmed the temporary halt.
