Trump Threatens to Cut Troops 'A Lot Further' and Impose 25% EU Car Tariffs

Following the May 1 announcement of 5,000 US troop withdrawals from Germany, President Trump escalated the dispute on May 2, stating the reduction would go 'a lot further than 5,000.' Trump simultaneously threatened to raise EU automobile and truck tariffs from 15% to 25%, a move estimated to cost Germany's automotive sector nearly $18 billion. The tariff threat targeted Germany's largest export sector — cars from BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, and Audi. European allies expressed alarm at what NBC News analysts called a 'disastrous trend' in transatlantic relations.