A planned drawdown of 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany was expected, but should spur Europeans to strengthen their own defences, German ​Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Saturday, after Washington's latest salvo against transatlantic ties.

Axar.az informs, citing Reuters, that the Pentagon announced the drawdown from Germany, its largest European base, on Friday, as ‌a rift over the Iran war and tariff tensions place further strain on relations between the U.S. and Europe.

Trump called for a reduced military presence in Germany as far back as his first term and has repeatedly urged Europe to take responsibility for its defence. However, he stepped up the threat earlier this week after sparring with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has questioned Washington's exit strategy in the Middle East.