With the world’s attention focused on wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, a major geopolitical development in Europe has gone largely unnoticed: U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to pull 5,000 troops out of Germany after it refused to support U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.
While the move represents less than 10% of the roughly 80,000 to 90,000 U.S. military personnel stationed in Europe, it amounts to a shot across the continent’s bow.
Is this gesture largely symbolic or will the withdrawal harm NATO and weaken Europe’s security? Is there more to come if the Europeans continue to defy Trump? And what are the longer-term strategic implications — not just in Europe, but in Asia, too?