Trump threatens Sánchez and Meloni with US troops withdrawal

Key Points:

• U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to "probably" remove American troops from Spain and Italy, criticizing Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Italian leader Giorgia Meloni for denying U.S. military planes access to their bases amid the Iran conflict.
• Trump also targeted Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz earlier, amid tensions with European NATO allies critical of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran; Germany allows U.S. use of Ramstein Air Base for operations against Iran.
• Italy hosts around 12,000 U.S. troops and Spain about 3,800, with Germany hosting the largest U.S. force in Europe at over 36,000; Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto expressed confusion over any potential troop withdrawal.
• A U.S. withdrawal from Germany would be costly and time-consuming, weakening strategic military advantages, and while there are no immediate plans to reduce forces, defense officials are taking Trump's remarks seriously.
• The tensions reflect broader political dynamics, with Sánchez positioning himself as a counterweight to Trump, Meloni distancing herself to protect her premiership, and Merz criticizing U.S. handling of the Middle East conflict.