Trump Pulls 5K Troops from Germany, Tensions Rise with Allies

0:00On May 1st, President Trump just ordered the pull-out of 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany, hitting back at Chancellor Friedrich Merz over there. Beef on the Iran War. The Pentagon dropped this news on Friday, saying it would wrap up in 6-12 months. Germany hosts around 35,000 U.S. troops, the most in Europe. This all kicked off earlier this week, when Merz called out the U.S. for getting humiliated by Iran in talks and lacking an exit plan after two months of fighting. Trump fired back hard, slamming Merz for messing up on Ukraine and accusing him of wanting Iran to go nuclear. Pentagon insiders called Germany's comments inappropriate and unhelpful, backing Trump's move as a fair response. Meanwhile, German military folks were caught off guard, pointing out they've stepped up big time with bases, overflights, and that major hospital in. The draw-down scraps of brigade combat team there now, and kills plans for a long-range fire's battalion later this year.

1:00It drops U.S. forces in Europe to pre-2000-22 levels, before Biden ramped up for Russia's Ukraine push. It's part of Trump's big pitch for Europe to handle its own defense. Tensions run deep with allies not jumping in on stuff like reopening the straight-of-horn moves for oil, so expect more shake-ups as Trump keeps pressing. NATO to step up or face the heat.