Pentagon chief says U.S. will pull nearly 12,000 troops from Germany

Major US military units to leave Germany as part of large drawdown to begin within weeks, Esper says The U.S. will bring about 6,500 troops home from Germany and move about 5,400 more to other countries in Europe, Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced Tuesday. The plan would fulfill President Donald Trump’s demands to remove thousands of troops from Germany, which he has long derided as delinquent on its defense spending obligations within NATO. The announcement also comes after a monthslong review of American force strength in Europe, where some troops are permanently stationed and others deploy on rotational tours to…