AfD demands full withdrawal of US troops and nuclear weapons from Germany

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) has formally called for the complete withdrawal of all US military personnel and nuclear assets from German soil, signaling a sharpening of the party’s “sovereignty-first” foreign policy.

Addressing supporters in Saxony on Saturday, AfD co-leader Tino Chrupalla asserted that the time has come for Berlin to sever its reliance on allied forces and nuclear deterrents to pursue an “independent” diplomatic course.

“Let us begin implementing this with the withdrawal of US troops from Germany,” Chrupalla told the assembly.

The demand strikes at the heart of the post-war transatlantic security architecture. Germany currently hosts approximately 40,000 American service members across more than a dozen major installations, including the headquarters for US European Command.

The remarks coincide with shifting tides in Washington. The Telegraph reported Friday that President Donald Trump has been weighing a reduction of the American footprint in Germany—a move he has reportedly contemplated since returning to office last year. The US president has frequently voiced frustration with NATO allies over defense parity, previously threatening to penalize members that fail to meet his demand for defense spending equal to 5% of gross domestic product.

Chrupalla’s rhetoric, however, places the AfD on a potential collision course with the Trump administration over the strategic utility of German bases for American global operations. The AfD leader has long argued that NATO serves US interests disproportionately, and on Saturday he doubled down on the necessity of shielding Germany from being “dragged into foreign wars.”

He pointed to Spain’s recent decision to block the US from utilizing its bases for strikes against Iran as a model for Berlin. “That is exactly what needs to be done,” Chrupalla said. “Spain is staying out of this war.”

The presence of Ramstein Air Base remains a particular flashpoint. The installation serves as a critical hub for coordinating US drone and missile operations against Iran, drawing fire from opposition politicians who fear the facility renders Germany a target for retaliation.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has also faced domestic scrutiny for his handling of the escalating conflict involving Israel, the US, and Iran. Last week, Merz accused Trump of “greatly escalating” the confrontation rather than seeking a diplomatic resolution. The rhetoric between Washington and Berlin has grown increasingly hostile in recent days.

Domestic political data suggests the AfD’s message is resonating. A new poll released Sunday shows the AfD locked in a dead heat for first place with Merz’s Christian Democrats (CDU) among German voters. While not the first time the party has reached such heights, the figures underscore the enduring nature of the AfD’s popularity.

This sustained support complicates the pledge by Germany’s establishment parties to maintain a “cordon sanitaire” and never enter a coalition with the AfD. Both the CDU and AfD are currently polling at 26%. In contrast, the Social Democrats—presently the junior partner in the governing coalition—remain at a historic low of 14%.

The Greens sit at 12% in the latest survey, while the Free Democrats (FDP) have slumped to 3%, falling below the threshold required for parliamentary representation. According to these projections, preventing the AfD from entering federal government would require an unwieldy, ideologically disparate coalition of Germany’s three mainstream parties.

The pressure is even more acute at the regional level. In the state of Saxony-Anhalt, a recent poll indicates the AfD is approaching an absolute majority.

The party’s pivot reflects a complex evolution in its relationship with Washington. While Chrupalla attended Trump’s inauguration last year in an effort to build ties with the administration, the US president’s hawkish foreign policy—specifically regarding military action in Venezuela and Iran—has increasingly alienated the AfD from its erstwhile allies in the White House.