The U.S. announced plans Wednesday to shift 12,000 troops out of Germany as part of a multibillion-dollar effort to deter Russian influence and reassure European allies in the region. It also fulfills President Trump’s previously announced desire to withdraw troops from Germany, largely due to its failure to spend enough on defense. Trump announced last month that he wanted to cut the number of active-duty U.S. troops in Germany from roughly 36,000 to fewer than 25,000. The president on Wednesday indicated the move was tied more directly to his anger over Germany’s failure to meet NATO defense spending goals. There also are 2,600 National Guard and Reserve forces in Germany and almost 12,000 civilians working for the services or the Defense Department.

Source: Fox News July 29, 2020 15:56 UTC