Ramstein mayor warns of severe economic impact from US troop withdrawal
Ramstein Mayor Ralf Hechler warned that the planned withdrawal of thousands of U.S. troops from Germany would be a severe economic blow to the region, with up to 12,000 people leaving. Hechler said the U.S. military presence generates over $2 billion per fiscal year in wages, rents, and local contracts. The announcement follows U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's plan to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany within six to twelve months.
Ramstein Mayor Ralf Hechler (CDU) warned that the planned withdrawal of thousands of U.S. troops from Germany would deliver a severe economic blow to the region, with 10,000 to 12,000 people — including families — expected to leave. "Für Ramstein wäre das fatal," Hechler told the German news agency dpa.
The U.S. military presence generates over $2 billion per fiscal year in economic activity through wages, rents, and contracts with local firms, Hechler said. About 2,300 people in the region are employed by the U.S. military. Hechler pointed to the towns of Pirmasens and Zweibrücken as examples of communities that never recovered from past U.S. troop withdrawals. "Wenn die Wirtschaftskraft einmal weg ist, kommt sie meist nie wieder," he said.
Despite the warning, Hechler said there are currently no signs of a partial withdrawal in the Ramstein area. Construction of the new U.S. military hospital in Weilerbach, costing about $1.59 billion, is ongoing. The facility will replace the aging U.S. hospital in Landstuhl. Hechler noted that the relationship with local U.S. personnel remains good and that past base consolidations ultimately strengthened Ramstein.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Friday the withdrawal of 5,000 troops from Germany within six to twelve months. U.S. President Donald Trump said the partial withdrawal could be larger. As of mid-April, about 86,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Europe, roughly 39,000 of them in Germany. The announcement followed tensions between Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over U.S. strategy in the Iran war.