European leaders see Trump's troop drawdown from Germany as new proof they must go it alone

Key Points:

• U.S. President Donald Trump unexpectedly announced plans to significantly reduce U.S. troop presence in Germany, exceeding the initial Pentagon announcement of a 5,000 troop withdrawal, surprising European leaders and NATO allies.
• European officials, including Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, emphasized the need for Europe to strengthen its own security and NATO's European pillar in response to the U.S. troop reduction.
• The troop withdrawal decision comes amid tensions between Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over U.S.-Israeli policies toward Iran, with some European countries refusing to support U.S. military actions in the Middle East.
• NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte downplayed the impact of the troop cuts but acknowledged disappointment over Europe's limited support for U.S. actions against Iran, while European nations are preparing their own strategic military positioning.
• In a related trade dispute, Trump threatened to raise tariffs on European cars and trucks, particularly affecting Germany, as the EU highlighted its ongoing efforts to secure trade agreements with other global partners to maintain stable supply chains.