The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is considering withdrawing part of American troops from NATO countries that refused to support Washington and Israel in the war against Iran. This was reported on April 8 by The Wall Street Journal.
According to the newspaper, the plan under discussion предусматривает redeploying military forces to countries that adopted a more active stance and supported the U.S. military campaign. It is one of several options being considered by the White House in response to the refusal of some European allies to take part in the operation. Sources cited by the publication note that the initiative is still at an early stage but has already gained support among some senior officials. At the same time, the proposed measures do not imply a full U.S. withdrawal from NATO, an idea previously mentioned by Trump.
Among the countries that criticized military actions against Iran or restricted the use of their infrastructure are France, Germany, Spain and Italy. This includes, in particular, refusals to grant access to airspace or military bases for operational purposes.
Meanwhile, as the newspaper notes, Eastern European countries — Poland, Romania, Lithuania and Greece — could benefit from the redeployment, with an increased number of U.S. troops stationed on their territory. In addition, the closure of at least one U.S. military base in Europe is being considered, with Germany and Spain mentioned among the possible options.
According to The Wall Street Journal, such a reorganization could bring American forces closer to the borders of Russia, which is likely to trigger a negative reaction from Moscow. Currently, around 84,000 U.S. troops are deployed across Europe. The White House has not officially commented on these plans.
