Vilseck, Germany: A town on edge over US troop withdrawal
Key takeaways
- Is US President Donald Trump really serious? 5,000 US soldiers are reportedly to be withdrawn from Germany.
- https://p.dw.com/p/5DQXm Vilseck is home to thousands of US troops Image: Wolfgang Maria Weber/picture alliance Advertisement.
- Grädler, visibly moved, told DW: "People's initial reaction was fear.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Is US President Donald Trump really serious? 5,000 US soldiers are reportedly to be withdrawn from Germany. This may include the Stryker Brigade in Vilseck. The town is in shock.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DQXm Vilseck is home to thousands of US troops Image: Wolfgang Maria Weber/picture alliance Advertisement. It was a nightmarish start as mayor for Thorsten Grädler. In March, the 61-year-old won the mayoral election in the small town of Vilseck in Germany near the Czech border. Monday, May 4, was his first official day on the job.
And then, shortly after noon, a breaking news alert shocked the town and its 6,500 residents: Thousands of US soldiers from the local Stryker Brigade Combat Team may return home in the coming months, although official confirmation is still pending.