Trump's plans to withdraw US troops from Germany and not deploy Tomahawk cruise missiles on German soil are drawing criticism. Experts say it is a "huge mistake" and a very dangerous signal to Putin.
The CDU politician Roderich Kiesewetter, a defense expert, described the US refusal to deploy Tomahawk cruise missiles in Germany as a "huge mistake". The Americans' refusal to deploy conventional medium-range missiles to counter the nuclear threat from Russia is "essential for our security," he said Kiesewetter told ARD.
He described the refusal to deploy the "Tomahawk" as "much more serious" than the announced withdrawal of thousands of US troops from Germany. This is "a really difficult signal". According to Kiesewetter: "This decision weakens our position".
A signal to Putin
According to Kiesewetter, the decision not to deploy the "Tomahawk" cruise missiles in Germany harms NATO's security interests. "But much more importantly, this is a signal to Putin, because in 2017 he violated the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty", Kiesewetter said, quoted by ARD. "For several years we have been waiting for a signal from Russia whether it is possible to negotiate on this issue. But Russia is not negotiating, it is creating facts", added the CDU politician. According to him, the solution is to develop an alternative together with Ukraine, "so that we have such systems by 2030".
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed on Sunday that the deployment of Tomahawk cruise missiles promised by Trump's predecessor Joe Biden will not happen for now. "The Americans do not have enough missiles themselves at the moment", said Merz, but added that the time for their deployment has not been completely missed.
"They will be able to blackmail us"
"Security expert Nico Lange also called in the newspaper "Süddeutsche Zeitung" for an alternative to American medium-range missiles: "If there are no American missiles, we need German or European long-range weapons range, or at least ones that are independent of American decisions and provide conventional deterrence," Lange said.
Since 2018, it has been known for certain that "Russian Iskander missiles are deployed in Kaliningrad and threaten us," the expert said. "If the deployment of American missiles does not take place now, Russia has potential power over us through its missiles in Kaliningrad and we could become a target for blackmail," Lange warned.
"Much more than 5,000"?
On Friday (May 1, 2026), the Pentagon announced the withdrawal of about 5,000 troops from Germany over the next six to twelve months. On Saturday, US President Trump further escalated the tone and threatened that "much more than 5,000" American troops would be withdrawn. soldiers. The actual extent of the planned withdrawal, as well as which bases and units will be affected, is still unclear, ARD summarizes.