Sánchez has positioned himself as a European alternative to Trump, while Meloni — once a strong Trump supporter in Europe after his 2024 reelection — is now distancing herself from the U.S. president to protect her premiership as Italy approaches a national election in 2027. Merz remarked that the U.S. is being “humiliated” by Iran in the Middle East conflict.
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto responded to these remarks, telling ANSA he “wouldn’t understand the reasons” for any possible U.S. troop withdrawal from Italy.
The U.S. maintains approximately 12,000 military personnel in Italy, with Germany hosting more than 36,000, the highest number in Europe. Spain has about 3,800 troops, according to a Pentagon report from December.
Merz has carefully managed his relationship with Trump, while Berlin, unlike Rome and Madrid, allows the U.S. to utilize the Ramstein Air Base for coordinating military actions against Iran.
Any withdrawal of U.S. troops from Germany would cost billions, take years, and undermine a strategic advantage in the Iran conflict and global military power projection.
Defense officials informed POLITICO that there are no immediate drawdown plans, yet they take Trump’s remarks seriously.
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