If US President Donald Trump is serious, 5,000 US soldiers could be withdrawn from Germany. This would include the Stryker Brigade in Vilseck. The town is in shock.
And shortly after noon, a breaking news alert shocked the town and its 6,500 residents: Thousands of US soldiers from the local Stryker Brigade Combat Team might have to go home in the coming months, although official confirmation is still pending.
The new mayor must feel as though he has been caught with full force between the grinding gears of geopolitics. US President Donald Trump , visibly angered by the lack of European support in the war with Iran and by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz 's criticism of US actions, recently announced new tariffs on European automobiles and a withdrawal of US troops from Germany.
Nearly 40,000 US soldiers are currently stationed in Germany. The small town of Vilseck is located near Grafenwöhr, where the US maintains its largest military training area outside the United States. It covers 233 square kilometers (ca. 90 square miles). A troop withdrawal would have dramatic economic consequences for Vilseck and the entire region, Grädler explained.
During his first term in office, Trump already threatened to withdraw thousands of US troops from Vilseck but this did not happen after Joe Biden became president.
Sabine Kederer's first thought upon hearing the news this time was: "Not again!" "But I won't really start thinking about it seriously until the decision has actually been made," she said. "I don't have a Plan B yet. After all, 70% to 80% of the guests who stay here are here specifically because of the military training area." While some residents of Vilseck accuse the German chancellor of forcing the community to bear the brunt of the dispute between the US and Germany, Kederer has a different take: "Perhaps he could have been a little more diplomatic, but I think it is important that our politicians speak up every now and then. One must be able to tolerate differing opinions." US troop withdrawal: A turning point for Europe?
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Many want to stay Veronika Varga, the owner of Vroni's Hundesalon, a dog grooming salon, says her business is doing so well that, if necessary, she could survive even without her military clientele. But more than half of her customers are from the US. Her schedule to groom poodles, labradors and Bichon Frises is completely booked through the end of June.
"I'm currently receiving a lot of calls from people who are afraid they're going to be pulled out," Varga told DW. "They are booking appointments now for September, October and November because they're worried they won't be able to get any slots if they suddenly have to leave. We've never experienced anything like this here before." Around 20 dogs enjoy her grooming services every day. When her two assistants, Rebecca and Emily, are on duty, that number can go up to 30. Emily (20) is from the US and started working at the salon two years ago.
"We aim to attract industry and skilled trades to help cushion the impact of a potential US withdrawal, or a reduction in jobs," he esplained. "The site is also of interest to the defense industry, given its proximity to Grafenwöhr." This article was translated from German.
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