BERLIN (AP) – Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced on Tuesday that it is expanding the US military presence in Germany with 500 soldiers and has stopped planning large-scale troop reductions ordered by the Trump administration.
The addition of 500 troops to a current total of about 35,000 is a symbolic gesture of solidarity with Germany and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, but it also fulfills a practical need that European commanders identified months ago. Austin said the additional troops will play a role in space, cybersecurity and electronic warfare.
“This planned increase in US personnel underscores our commitment to Germany and the entire NATO alliance,” Austin said in a notable counterpoint to the Trump administration’s repeated complaints that Germany is a weak partner in defense and security.
Austin made the announcement after talks with German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer on his first European tour since he became head of the Pentagon in January.
Kramp-Karrenbauer hailed the announcement as a “strong signal” of a healthy US-Germany relationship.
They also discussed what was then a pending decision by President Joe Biden on the full withdrawal from Afghanistan. US officials say hours later Biden has decided to withdraw troops from Afghanistan by September 11, the 20th anniversary of the 2001 attacks, missing a May 1 deadline negotiated by the Trump administration. Germany is an essential part of the US-led coalition in Afghanistan.
On Wednesday, Austin plans to travel to NATO headquarters in Brussels to discuss Biden’s decision.
In his remarks in Berlin, Austin said at a joint news conference with Kramp-Karrenbauer that the additional 500 American soldiers from Germany will be permanently stationed in the Wiesbaden area as early as this fall.
“These forces will strengthen discouragement and defense in Europe. They will increase our existing skills to prevent conflicts and, if necessary, fight and win, ”Austin said in the prepared remarks.
“This move will also create more space, more cybernetics and more electronic warfare capabilities in Europe,” he added, adding that “it will greatly improve our ability to increase forces at some point to to defend our allies ”.
Last year, President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of 12,000 troops from Germany in return for what he considered Germany’s refusal to spend more on its own defense. Austin suspended that move shortly after taking office. He said decisions on troop levels would be made as part of a comprehensive review of the US military presence around the world, including in Europe.
Austin’s announcement on Tuesday is the first concrete indication that he will not carry out Trump’s decision, which included moving the headquarters of the US European Command from Germany to Belgium.
Asked by a reporter if the decision to add 500 troops means that Washington will not comply with Trump’s move, Austin said the Pentagon has “stopped planning” to reduce troops.
The German minister said he had Biden’s word that “there will be no reduction in troops as previously planned.”
“Today I received the pleasant announcement and the assurance from Secretary Austin that another 500 will stay,” she said. “That’s the way it should be among good friends and partners – you give each other your word and keep it.”
According to the US military Europe and Africa, the troops will form two new military units and will arrive in the coming months. These will include a multi-field working group with artillery, air and missile defense, intelligence, cyber, space and electronic capabilities, as well as a theater fire command that will improve the readiness and ability of the forces to work with allies in the region. . .
Col. Joe Scrocca, a spokesman for the US Army Europe and Africa, said the new orders are expected to be activated in September and October.
In addition, the US will keep three sites that were previously scheduled to be returned to the German government. These are the Mainz Kastel station and the Mainz Kastel in Mainz-Kastel and the Dagger complex in Darmstadt.
“New strategies and a constantly changing operational environment require greater capacity to ensure that we have the infrastructure for increased capabilities to support our allies and partners,” said General Chris Mohan, Commander-in-Chief of Command 21 for support. theater. “We have worked closely with German officials to reach an agreement on the preservation of these sites and we are very grateful for their continued support.”
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Associated Press writers Geir Moulson in Berlin and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington contributed to this report.