Trump could withdraw troops from Europe. His army has other ideas
6am please
Vid link here: https://part.icle.link/mtv1y8w
As a handful of Fox Battery US Marines fired up their Himars alongside Royal Horse Artillery Gunners loading up their MLRS, they knew they were about to make defence history.
For the first time, British and American troops were to use their signature multiple rocket launch systems simultaneously.
It would also be the first time either would be fired on the strategic Swedish island of Gotland, less than 200 miles from the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad and its Baltic fleet.
Five loud thuds boomed across the firing range as the dummy rockets streaked through the early morning sky before disappearing from sight somewhere in the Baltic Sea: a successful launch.
These joint US-European military exercises are being held against the backdrop of a souring in relationships between the US and its Nato allies since Donald Trump became president again in January.
But when asked what he thinks of his commander-in-chief this week having a two-hour phone call with Vladimir Putin, the leader of the country that is the unspoken enemy at the heart of all of these military exercises, American Capt Justin Miller shrugs.
'Regardless of what's going on, we're out here, we're training with Nato,' he says. 'We're in Sweden at the moment, Norway yesterday and we're gonna go to Finland in a few days. And we're gonna continue to do so until told otherwise.'
'[The Nato alliance] still feels strong to me.'
Mr Trump has repeatedly accused Europe of riding on the US's coattails in terms of defence spending and has praised Russian leader Putin rather than punishing him for invading Ukraine.
At the Munich Security Conference in February, JD Vance, the US vice-president, made headlines by saying the greatest threat facing the continent was not from Russia but 'from within', adding that Europe needed to 'step up' and provide for its own defence.
Shortly afterwards, Pete Hegseth, the defence secretary, was revealed to have described Europe as 'pathetic' freeloaders in a leaked Signal chat. He has also warned American military presence in Europe is not 'forever.'
The slew of unprecedented criticism has led to speculation that Europe can no longer rely on the US to protect it from Russia and that the Nato alliance is on its last legs.
But the political schisms do not appear to have filtered through to the US military, which has 84,000 service members posted in more than 40 bases across the Continent.
'The political leaders are gonna do their thing, I will say that from what I've seen, we haven't changed at all,' explains Lt Col Zach Leuthardt, a public affairs officer for the US Marines in Europe and Africa.
'It's hard to tell at our level that the things that are going on at the political level are happening. It doesn't affect us. We are committed to the alliance.'
The drills on Gotland are part of the Swift Response phase of the US's annual Defender series - officially known as the Dynamic Employment of Forces to Europe for Nato Deterrence and Enhanced Readiness exercise.
Over the next six weeks, some 12,000 US troops – including 5,000 flying over from the States – will buddy up with 13,000 European and Nato ally soldiers to practise everything from live firing and river crossings to resupplying a field hospital with blood via drones.
It's a huge undertaking that is designed to showcase US-European cohesion and interoperability – defence ministry jargon for how well different countries' armies can work together.
Lt Col Leuthardt has been based in the US European Command's headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, since last July. He said the election of Mr Trump last November hasn't affected anything in his work.
'Nothing on our schedule from the time I've got here has changed. We haven't scaled it down. Nobody's gone home.
'We've got a fresh batch of new people coming in this summer to take on those roles and continue the planning. So from my operational and tactical level, nothing's really changed for us.'
The fact that live fire drills are being held on Sweden's Gotland island for the first time is telling given its strategic importance in protecting the Baltics from Moscow.
'It's a very good sign from the US defence forces that they want to do this security signal together with us towards the Russians,' said Peter Hulqvist, Sweden's former defence minister from 2014-22 and now chair of the Defence Committee.
'It continues the cooperation that we built up with the United States some years before.'
The drill also involved British 16th Air Assault Brigade soldiers parachuted in and fought off the 'enemy' (local Swedish troops) to secure a tactical landing zone for the Himars and MLRS.
Watching the UK's elite paras jump out of an A400 plane and float gently down to the green field below, Lt Col Leuthardt had glowing words of praise for the US's European partners – especially the British.
'It's like working with other Americans,' he says. 'It's super simple and they're super-professional and we've had a blast. My eyes are open to how well this alliance works together.
'We have the same values: democracy and defence of our nations. It's like hanging out with cousins.'
Back at the Tofta firing range, after the historic joint missile launch, US Marines Staff Sgt Caleb Thayer smiles proudly at its success. ' A little bit of shock and awe,' he says.
'We just got off the bird [plane] probably 45 minutes ago. So we were just shooting from the hip and it all went to plan. And that's all we can ask for: good co-operation and communication and everybody gets along, I guess. We're super happy to be here.'
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Politico
39 minutes ago
- Politico
Trump wants a manufacturing boom. The industry is buckling.
President Donald Trump is vowing to spark a manufacturing boom with tariffs to protect American workers and industry. So far, it's manufacturers that have borne the brunt of the pain. The president's surprise decision to raise tariffs on imported steel and aluminum to 50 percent will hit domestic manufacturing just as a new report shows the industry is already contracting. Uncertainty about where tariff rates will ultimately land — or where they'll be applied — has forced businesses to make hard decisions that could cut into both profits and hiring. And a leading trade group on Thursday called on Trump to give the companies a break on the tariffs. 'For a president who is intent on building U.S. manufacturing, the tariff strategy he's laid out is remarkably short-sighted,' said Gordon Hanson, a Harvard Kennedy School professor whose groundbreaking 2016 research work, 'The China Shock,' was among the first to sound the alarm about the threat to American industry. 'It fails to recognize what modern supply chains look like.' 'Even if you're intent on reshoring parts of manufacturing, you can't do it all,' he said. 'Steel and aluminum are part of that.' If Trump's tariffs fail to result in a manufacturing renaissance — a central focus of his presidential campaign — it could weaken the prospects of a GOP coalition that's increasingly reliant on working-class voters who supported his protectionist trade policies. But as unanticipated tariffs continue to drive up input costs for companies that need steel and aluminum for production, the warning signs emanating from manufacturers are getting louder. An index published this week by the Institute for Supply Management, which tracks manufacturing, slipped for the third straight month in May as companies made plans to scale back production. A quarterly survey conducted by the National Association of Manufacturers reported the steepest drop in optimism since the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, with trade uncertainty and raw material costs cited as top concerns. Federal Reserve data this month reported weaker manufacturing output. The manufacturers' association on Thursday urged Trump to develop a 'speed pass' that would allow companies to avoid costly new duties on imported raw materials and components that are essential to U.S. producers. 'The steel and aluminum tariffs are almost custom-made to hurt American manufacturing,' said Ernie Tedeschi, a former top Biden administration economist who's now with the Yale Budget Lab. Trump and top administration officials argue that tariffs will encourage investment in domestic manufacturers, which should lead to better-paying jobs, a more resilient economy and more secure supply chains. Exports climbed in April as the president's tariffs took hold, which contributed to an eye-popping decline in the U.S. trade deficit. Indeed, the overall economy remains solid, and businesses are continuing to hire, according to Friday's jobs report for May. Despite the trade headwinds, employment in the manufacturing sector has remained steady since Trump took office. 'As the president says, if you don't make steel, you can't fight a war. He's protecting that industry and bringing it back,' Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told Senate lawmakers this week. 'You're going to see more steel and aluminum furnaces and mills in the history of this country get built over the next three years.' The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Trump welcomed the monthly jobs report, posting on Truth Social: 'AMERICA IS HOT! SIX MONTHS AGO IT WAS COLD AS ICE! BORDER IS CLOSED, PRICES ARE DOWN. WAGES ARE UP!' Still, domestic manufacturers who rely on international supply chains for critical steel and aluminum inputs will face tough choices if they want to maintain their profits while keeping output steady. 'Higher costs are expected. Higher input prices. The question is, what do you do with those costs? How much can you pass along to the consumer? How much can you negotiate with your suppliers?' said Andrew Siciliano, a partner at KPMG who leads the consulting firm's trade and customs practice. The challenges posed by the increase in steel and aluminum tariffs are particularly acute because it's far from clear whether domestic suppliers will be able to meet the demands of domestic manufacturers. Almost half the aluminum used in the U.S. last year came from foreign sources, according to federal data, and roughly a quarter of all steel is imported. Either way, 'input costs are going to be higher,' Siciliano said. 'If they pass it on, it could affect demand. If they don't pass it on, it could affect profitability.' That isn't to say manufacturers won't benefit from tariffs in the long term. To the extent that Trump's overall tariff regime limits imports, U.S.-based industrial production could expand to address unmet demand. The Budget Lab's analysis of Trump's tariff regime — which includes the 50 percent tariffs on steel and aluminum — projects that manufacturing output could grow by 1.3 percent over the next five years if existing import duties are left in place. But Tedeschi cautioned that growth may exclude segments like electronic and semiconductor production — which tend to generate higher incomes for workers. Meanwhile, output in other sectors like construction or agriculture would likely contract. Julia Coronado, founder of MacroPolicy Perspectives, also said the flurry of new import duties may prompt some manufacturers to actually move their manufacturing facilities offshore rather than subject their supply chains and production processes to multiple tariffs. 'If I have to assemble a bunch of parts and inputs, why don't I just don't do that on the Canadian or Mexican side of the border and then pay the tariff on the final good?' she said. An even bigger challenge may involve finding and training workers who can staff up any facilities that reshore. Most Americans work in the service sector and, to the extent tariffs lead to reshoring, those facilities will likely rely heavily on automation, according to economists at the Bank of America Institute. Finding qualified workers in the U.S. is either too difficult or too expensive. 'Whatever manufacturing production comes back to the U.S. will require far fewer jobs than 30 or 40 years ago,' Hanson said. 'It's just the way the world has gone.'
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Who are the United States Supreme Court Justices?
Politics in the United States in recent years have surrounded the position of the president. But that has not changed the American political system. It's still all about checks and balances in the United States, which includes the judicial branch and Supreme Court. That arm of the U.S. government has nine justices seated on the bench, all of which were appointment by presidents at one point or another. Their jobs are for life and the group of nine is led by one chief justice. As of 2025, here is the full list of the nine justices in the United States Supreme Court. Date appointed: Sept. 29, 2005. Appointed by: President George W. Bush. Political affiliation: Republican. Date appointed: Oct. 23 1991. Appointed by: President George H. W. Bush. Political affiliation: Republican. Date appointed: Jan. 31, 2006. Appointed by: President George W. Bush. Political affiliation: Republican. Date appointed: Aug. 8, 2009. Appointed by: President Barack Obama. Political affiliation: Democrat. Date appointed: Aug. 7, 2010. Appointed by: President Barack Obama. Political affiliation: Democrat. Date appointed: April 10, 2017. Appointed by: President Donald Trump. Political affiliation: Republican. Date appointed: Oct. 6, 2018. Appointed by: President Donald Trump. Political affiliation: Republican. Date appointed: Oct. 27, 2020. Appointed by: President Donald Trump. Political affiliation: Republican. Date appointed: June 30, 2022. Appointed by: President Joe Biden. Political affiliation: Democrat. This article originally appeared on The List Wire: List of United States Supreme Court Justices
Yahoo
39 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Russia downed three drones targeting Moscow, mayor says
MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian air defence forces shot down three drones attempting to attack Moscow, Sergei Sobyanin, the Russian capital's mayor, said on Friday. He did not provide further details about the incident but said emergency services were working at the sites where debris from the downed drones had fallen. Separately, Russia's aviation watchdog said that the Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports in the Moscow region had temporarily suspended operations to ensure flight safety. It announced soon afterwards that flights had resumed.
