Photographer: Christof Stache/AFP via Getty Images

Photographer: Christof Stache/AFP via Getty Images

The U.S. announced plans to withdraw about 12,000 troops from Germany, a shift that Defense Secretary Mark Esper said would bolster NATO and deter Russia but President Donald Trump signaled was largely about punishing Germany as a defense deadbeat.

Esper said Wednesday that about 5,600 troops would be redeployed to other nations in Europe, including Italy and Belgium, while 6,400 would return to the U.S. Even as Esper was pitching the strategic benefits of the shift at the Pentagon, Trump was at the White House undercutting the militarys case.

Theyve taken advantage of us for many years, Trump, who has frequently complained about German defense spending, told reporters. We dont want to be the suckers anymore.

Trump has long said Germany and other partners in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization should quickly ramp up efforts to meet the alliances goal that all members spend at least 2% of gross domestic product on defense. Now, as Trump faces a tough re-election battle, the drawdown lets him begin fulfilling a 2016 campaign promise to bring American troops home, though it risks further rupturing a NATO alliance already frayed by the presidents America First policies.

A U.S. official said the process, which would leave about 24,000 forces in Germany, would probably take years.

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Part of the shift will involve moving forces to Italy, Belgium and other nations, while some troops returning to the U.S. will still do rotations in Germany, Esper said.

Various United States headquarters will be consolidated in locations in Europe, outside of Germany, including in some cases co-locating at the same locations as their NATO counterparts in Belgium and Italy, Esper said. Other forces will do continuous rotations in the Black Sea region.

General Tod Wolters, commander of U.S. forces in Europe and NATOs supreme allied commander, said the headquarters for U.S. Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany, was among the operations likely to move elsewhere. About 1,500 personnel are based there.

Pressed about Trumps focus on political digs at Germany over the strategic benefits of the plan, Esper acknowledged the move reflects the presidents demands that some troops return to the U.S. But he also said he agrees that Germany could spend more than the 2% of GDP target for defense spending established by NATO.

Lets be clear, I think Germany is the wealthiest country in Europe, Esper said. Germany can and should pay more to its defense.

European allies, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, were stunned earlier this year by Trumps decision to proceed with a troop withdrawal without prior consultations. On Wednesday, Air Force General John Hyten, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, assured reporters that consultations will take place as the withdrawal goes forward.

We are now at another one of those inflection points in NATOs history, Esper said. Im confident the alliance will be all the better and stronger for it.

With assistance by Chad Thomas, and Misyrlena Egkolfopoulou

(Updates with comments from Trump and Esper throughout)

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U.S. Plans to Withdraw About 12,000 Troops From Germany - Bloomberg