German far-right leader welcomes US troop withdrawal

BERLIN (AP) — The leader of Germany’s biggest far-right party has welcomed the U.S. decision to withdraw thousands of American troops from the country. The co-chairman of Alternative for Germany said the move was in line with his party’s program, which seeks the removal of Allied troops and American nuclear warheads from German soil. The Trump administration intends to bring about 6,400 American troops home from Germany and shift about 5,600 to other countries in Europe. The plan, which Trump has linked to Berlin’s failure to spend enough on its own military, foresees leaving about 24,000 troops in Germany. The comments by the far-right leader echo those of Germany’s ex-communist Left party, which has praised the U.S. move.