Voices from the opposition demand sending US soldiers home, while government circles insist on continuing German-US military cooperation.
Voices from the opposition demand sending US soldiers home, while government circles insist on continuing German-US military cooperation.
By Deniz Yıldırım, from Berlin / Germany
On April 2, AfD Co-Chair Tino Chrupalla directly targeted the American military presence in Germany, stating that the country should define its defense policy based on “full sovereignty”. According to Chrupalla, US bases make Germany part of global conflicts and restrict Berlin’s ability to act independently.
This statement draws particular attention in the context of escalating US-Israeli attacks on Iran and the increased NATO commitments following the war in Ukraine. A week before Chrupalla’s remarks, the AfD had also backed German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s statement on the war in Iran that “this war is against international law and a major political mistake”.
“Redefining” Germany’s place
The AfD’s criticisms of US troops and NATO policies are not new, actually. Over recent years, the party has raised similar points in different contexts.
The AfD has advocated for “redefining” Germany’s place within the alliance and questioning whether NATO aligns with Germany’s interests. The party has also repeatedly stated that US nuclear weapons stationed in Germany should be removed.
“Trust crisis”
Tino Chrupalla’s call for the withdrawal of US troops from Germany was largely framed critically in the German mainstream media. Recent “Deutschland Trend” data published by public broadcaster ARD and the North Rhine-Westphalia regional public broadcaster WDR showed that public trust in the US has been significantly shaken. However, commentary emphasized that this does not imply a realistic prospect of a “military breakout”.
The ARD and WDR charts illustrate how trust in the US has changed over the years as follows:
Mainstream media deems it unrealistic
Another German public broadcaster, ZDF, offered a more explicit critique of the AfD’s statement. Analysts noted that while the decline in US trust is undeniable, interpreting it as a “military disengagement” would be unrealistic.
In its commentaries, Süddeutsche Zeitung highlighted that the suggestion to withdraw US troops carries serious risks for European security. The newspaper emphasized the critical role of US military presence in Europe especially after the war in Ukraine.
Die Welt was among the publications that criticized AfD’s proposal in harsher terms. Commentators warned that such a move would weaken Germany’s position within NATO, isolate the country and distance it from the Western alliance.
Der Spiegel took a more balanced approach. While acknowledging that the decline in trust toward the US in Germany is “real and measurable,” Spiegel argued that AfD’s proposal does not offer an appropriate solution to this problem.
BSW’s “independent security policy”
Sahra Wagenknecht, founding leader of the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW), stated that discussing the US military presence is legitimate, while outlining a programmatic framework similar to that of the AfD. According to BSW, Germany should pursue an “independent security policy”, and a “Europe-centered security order” should be debated. The party has long called for ending the presence of US troops in Germany.
Government circles and security experts: “Not feasible in the short term”
Government circles and security experts in Berlin, however, have taken a distanced stance toward the proposals from AfD and BSW. Staying on the official line, they put their emphasis on that military cooperation with the US is critical for Germany’s security. They said that US bases in Germany are vital not only for defense but also for logistics and intelligence. Government sources frequently state that transitioning to a security model outside the NATO framework is not feasible in the short term.