Is Europe ready for a future without the US?
5/6/202632 min
Trump has threatened to pull 5,000 troops from Germany – while European leaders worry this is just the start of a US withdrawal from the continent. Deborah Cole reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsCarter Sherman0:00
This is The Guardian.
Helen Pidd· Host0:01
[music] Today, as Trump withdraws troops from Germany, is Europe ready for a future without America?
Deborah Cole· Guest0:16
[music] Landstuhl is a very unique place. I mean, it's just a small town in Germany at first glance. You've got the sort of Rhineland architecture and the sloping red roofs and, you know, these sort of 19th century buildings around.
Helen Pidd· Host0:40
Deborah Cole covers Germany for The Guardian, and she recently visited Landstuhl in the southwest of the country, which, while very German, is also very American.
Deborah Cole· Guest0:49
You have the American fast food joints, and you've got a nail salon with an American flag in front of it. They had a fun fair going when we were there decorated with Uncle Sam. It's essentially just, you know, kind of one big welcome mat for Americans to feel part of this community, and they have been for, you know, now 81 years.
Helen Pidd· Host1:10
Ever since the US Army marched into the nearby city of Kaiserslautern in the spring of 1945, Americans have been woven into the fabric of life here. Of the 68,000 US military personnel stationed in Europe, around 9,000 live in Landstuhl along with their families.