MAY 12, 2026 1:46 PM CET
BY VICTOR JACKAt least five NATO countries on Europe's eastern flank are rushing to bid for American troops on their soil after U.S. President Donald Trump said he would pull 5,000 or more soldiers from Germany.

Poland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Romania have all expressed interest in hosting more U.S. troops, both through public statements and private lobbying. The push comes after Trump announced the German drawdown earlier this month over an escalating spat with Berlin — sparked by Chancellor Friedrich Merz's comments that Tehran had "humiliated" Washington with its negotiation tactics in the Iran war.

“I firmly believe a stronger U.S. presence on the Eastern Flank is necessary … we would welcome a permanent U.S. presence on our territory,” Romania’s outgoing Deputy Defense Minister Sorin Moldovan told POLITICO. “Romania has consistently demonstrated its commitment to the [country's] Strategic Partnership with the U.S. and has proven itself a reliable partner.”