CDU politician Roderich Kiesewetter views the announced partial withdrawal of US troops from Germany as a potential, focused “action against Germany”. Speaking to the news portal T-Online on Saturday, Kiesewetter stated that the true implications depend on where the troops are redeployed. If they remain within Europe, the withdrawal constitutes an action against Germany; however, if they are stationed outside the European continent, the reasoning behind the move is considered “more strategic”.
Kiesewetter noted that the announcement is not surprising, advising a measured response from the public and cautioning against making any public statements that could serve as an incentive for further confrontational moves by figures like Trump. He argued that the critical focus must now shift to European nations reestablishing their “relevance” within the US relationship by taking charge of fair burden-sharing for the continent. Furthermore, integrating Ukraine into European security structures is essential. According to Kiesewetter, this will enable free Europe to finally win against Russia in Ukraine, pointing out that the US currently supports Russian narratives against Western interests.
Separately, the AfD party sharply criticized the federal government following the announcement of the troop withdrawal. Markus Frohnmaier, the AfD’s foreign policy spokesperson in the Bundestag, told T-Online on Saturday that the CDU government has severely undermined Germany by effectively spending nearly 100 billion euros on military capacity and aid packages for Ukraine, thereby severely damaging the nation.
Frohnmaier interpreted the withdrawal as a clear message: “The Americans want to make explicitly clear to Germany and Europe that security policy is not a one-way street”. He argued that the focus must now be on rebuilding Germany’s own economic and military might, rather than relying indefinitely on external allies. He further accused Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul of failing to demonstrate diplomatic skill. While acknowledging that the Americans remain “decisive partners” and still depend on their military presence in Germany, Frohnmaier concluded by demanding that the current government finally fulfills its obligations and actively represents “German interests”.
