London | The United States has confirmed a plan to pull almost one-third of its troops out of Germany, saying the American taxpayer was “tired of paying too much” for European security.

 

 In a move likely to ratchet up trans-Atlantic tensions, outgoing US ambassador to Germany Ric Grenell told Bild newspaper that 9500 troops will be pulled out, leaving about 25,000 in the country.

But he denied President Donald Trump’s move was retaliation for Chancellor Angela Merkel’s snub of his invitation to a G7 leaders’ summit at Camp David this month, putting the summit on ice.