INTERNACIONAL
Trump troop cuts in Europe could be blocked by Congress — here’s how he might get around it
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President Donald Trump’s effort to broadly pull U.S. troops from key NATO allies over resistance to the Iran war could run into new limits imposed by Congress, but the administration may have a way around them.
Trump ordered the withdrawal of 5,000 troops from Germany Friday, a drawdown which will happen over the next six to 12 months, according to Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell.
Lawmakers have restricted large-scale troop reductions in Europe below 76,000.
But Trump still retains broad authority as commander in chief to move forces between countries, opening the door to shifting troops away from allies like Germany, Spain or Italy without reducing the overall U.S. presence.
Pentagon orders withdrawal of 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany as Trump escalates feud with Merz
The warning follows pushback from allies including Spain and Italy, which have limited how U.S. forces can use key bases for Iran-related missions, highlighting tensions inside NATO as Washington presses partners for support during the escalating conflict.
Trump said Wednesday the U.S. is «studying and reviewing the possible reduction of troops» in Germany, comments that came after Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the U.S. was «being humiliated» by Iran.
Merz downplayed the spat between Washington and Berlin in a statement Thursday.
«On all these issues, we maintain close and trusting contact with our partners, including — and especially — those in Washington. We do so in the shared transatlantic interest. We do so with mutual respect and a fair sharing of burdens.»
German foreign minister Johann Wadephul said in his own statement: «The Ramstein Air Base serves an irreplaceable function for both the US and us.»
President Donald Trump’s effort to broadly pull U.S. troops from key NATO allies over resistance to the Iran war could run into new limits imposed by Congress, but the administration may have a way around them. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Asked on Thursday whether he’d consider pulling troops out of Italy and Spain, Trump said, «Yeah, probably… Why shouldn’t I?»
The comments come as both countries have resisted U.S. requests tied to operations in Iran.
«Italy has not been of any help to us,» the president said, adding that Spain has been «horrible, absolutely horrible» and citing their refusal to allow the U.S. to use jointly operated bases for missions related to the conflict.
Any major withdrawal, however, would face hurdles in Congress.
Under the latest defense bill, the Pentagon cannot reduce U.S. troop levels in Europe below 76,000 without submitting an assessment and certifying to lawmakers that the move would not harm U.S. or NATO security interests.
«The provision does not prohibit the administration from going below 76,000, but it does establish hurdles it would have to clear,» Jeff Rathke, president of the American-German Institute at Johns Hopkins University and a former State Department official, told Fox News Digital.
Key US ally blocks airspace to military flights over Iran, escalating standoff with Trump
Congress cannot directly veto a troop withdrawal, but lawmakers can impose conditions and restrict funding, effectively slowing or blocking any significant drawdown if those requirements are not met.
The provision reflects recent concern in Congress over potential troop reductions, rather than a long-standing requirement in defense legislation. The restriction applies to total U.S. troop levels in Europe, not deployments in individual countries.
President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., on March 3, 2026, to discuss issues including recent U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
NATO itself does not have veto power over U.S. troop deployments, which remain a national decision, though basing agreements depend on cooperation with host countries.
The U.S. currently has about 36,000 troops in Germany, about 13,000 in Italy and around 4,000 in Spain — three of the largest American military footprints in Europe.
Germany and Italy host key U.S. bases that serve as logistics hubs for operations in the Middle East, meaning any significant drawdown could complicate efforts tied to the Iran conflict itself.
That has raised the stakes for how Trump responds to allied resistance.
Seth Jones, a defense analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the president likely has the authority to reposition or even withdraw forces, but warned that doing so raises broader questions about military strategy during an ongoing conflict.
«My issue is less the legal authority, but rather the strategic rationale behind a withdrawal — especially if it is done for political, rather than strategic, reasons,» Jones said.
He pointed to the role of key bases in Europe, including Rota in Spain, which supports rapid-response operations into North Africa, and Germany, which serves as a hub for deployments across both European and African theaters.
«The Russian threat to Eastern Europe remains serious,» Jones added, noting that some U.S. bases in Germany are positioned outside the range of certain Russian missiles and drones.
Jones also warned that relocating forces could carry significant costs and logistical challenges, adding to the complexity of any decision to scale back the U.S. presence.
The administration has pressed European allies to provide more direct support for operations tied to the Iran conflict, including broader access to bases and participation in efforts to secure key waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz.
But several countries have stopped short. Spain has imposed restrictions on how U.S. forces can use jointly operated bases, while Italy has allowed American troops to continue operating from its territory but limited how those facilities can be used for certain missions.
Germany has taken a more mixed approach, allowing operations from bases like Ramstein while publicly criticizing the administration’s strategy.
That dynamic has raised the possibility of alternatives to a full withdrawal, including shifting troops within Europe rather than reducing overall force levels.
Rathke said such a shift could avoid triggering the congressional threshold, since it applies to overall troop levels rather than deployments in specific countries.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni speaks during a joint statement at the conclusion of Italian-German government consultations in Rome on Jan. 23, 2026. (Remo Casilli/Reuters)
But he cautioned that major relocations would be difficult in practice, noting that key infrastructure — including Ramstein Air Base and the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center — cannot easily be replicated elsewhere.
«Even the most willing European country would not be able to offer that in the short term,» he said.
Even if troop levels remain above 76,000, major relocations would likely require funding and infrastructure changes that would bring Congress back into the process.
Lawmakers have stepped in before to block troop withdrawals from Europe, and a new push could trigger scrutiny on Capitol Hill, especially if it’s seen as weakening U.S. positioning during an ongoing conflict.
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A similar clash played out during Trump’s first term, when he ordered the withdrawal of roughly 12,000 U.S. troops from Germany in 2020, arguing that Berlin was not contributing enough to NATO defense. Congress imposed conditions through the annual defense bill, requiring the Pentagon to certify that any drawdown would not undermine NATO or U.S. operations. The effort ultimately stalled and was never fully implemented.
Lawmakers have not yet publicly responded to Trump’s latest comments. The White House did not return a request for comment.
nato, defense, donald trump, pentagon, war with iran
INTERNACIONAL
US embassy in Ukraine warns of ‘potentially significant air attack’ that could happen in next 24 hours
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The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv issued a security alert Saturday warning that a «potentially significant air attack» could hit the city in the next 24 hours.
The U.S. Mission Ukraine said in a statement, «The U.S. embassy in Kyiv has received information concerning a potentially significant air attack that may occur at any time over the next 24 hours.»
«The embassy, as always, recommends U.S. citizens be prepared to immediately shelter in the event an air alert is announced,» the warning added.
The message follows a warning from Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy that Russia was preparing to strike Ukraine with a hypersonic Oreshnik missile.
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This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
ukraine, russia
INTERNACIONAL
Cómo una renuncia inesperada abrió la puerta a la mayor fractura del papado en la Edad Media
En la turbulencia de la Edad Media, el papa emergió como la máxima autoridad, encabezando la Iglesia católica y ejerciendo un control absoluto sobre el orden espiritual y político de Europa occidental.
Considerado sucesor de San Pedro y líder indiscutible de la cristiandad, el papa ocupaba un rol central en una sociedad marcada por la influencia religiosa en la ley, la educación, la monarquía y las estructuras del día a día.
Según HistoryExtra, ese poder supremo coexistía con una realidad estructural: no existía un mecanismo claro para destituir a un papa, lo que convertía la sede de Pedro en un cargo especialmente expuesto ante el ojo público y las disputas internas. El pontífice reclamaba una autoridad divina que, al menos en teoría, superaba a todos los reyes y príncipes terrenos.
En los siglos finales de la Edad Media, esa supremacía fue puesta a prueba por disputas y escándalos que afectaron la integridad del sistema eclesiástico y las bases de la unidad religiosa europea.
El régimen papal asentaba su legitimidad en un principio categórico: “Solo puede haber un papa”, indicó la historiadora Hannah Skoda en el pódcast History Behind the Headlines. Así, la existencia de papas rivales, lejos de ser una excepción, significaba la fragmentación de la cristiandad en facciones enemigas.
Incluso la propia naturaleza inamovible del cargo sumaba una vulnerabilidad esencial para todo el sistema. Según Skoda, “no es posible renunciar siendo papa”, y cualquier intento de impugnar esa posición provocaba crisis capaces de desestabilizar a toda la Iglesia.
A finales del siglo XIII, la elección de Celestino V sorprendió a Europa. Anciano y ermitaño, de vida de retiro y oración, su perfil distaba mucho del habitual en los grupos de poder eclesiástico. “Realmente se preocupaba por los pobres”, indica Skoda, pero carecía del temperamento necesario para manejar los conflictos y la diplomacia inherentes al papado.
La administración de la Iglesia, inmersa en pleitos legales, recaudación de impuestos y relaciones con los gobernantes, requería virtudes espirituales y habilidades administrativas en las que Celestino reconocía sus propias limitaciones.
Abrumado ante esas exigencias y consciente de su falta de aptitud política, abdicó pocos meses después de su elección, decisión que conmocionó a la cristiandad medieval y cuestionó el fundamento de la permanencia vitalicia en el cargo. “Si se puede renunciar, ¿qué impide que también pueda ser forzado a renunciar?”, advirtió Skoda sobre esta situación que abrió un precedente inédito.
La renuncia de Celestino V terminó convirtiéndose en una herramienta política utilizada por Felipe IV de Francia para cuestionar la legitimidad del nuevo pontífice. El monarca sostuvo que el anterior papa no había muerto en el cargo, instalando dudas sobre la validez de la sucesión. Convertido en una figura incómoda y silenciosa, el exlíder religioso recordaba que la estabilidad del sistema papal podía tambalearse en cualquier momento, según señaló HistoryExtra.
La confrontación entre Bonifacio VIII y Felipe IV de Francia alcanzó su clímax en 1303, cuando agentes de la corona gala capturaron al papa en el episodio conocido como el ultraje de Anagni. Aunque fue liberado enseguida, el daño a la imagen papal fue profundo.
Luego de la muerte de Bonifacio, la Curia eligió a un sucesor que complació a la monarquía francesa y, en 1309, el papado se trasladó a Avignon.
El traslado a Avignon inauguró una etapa crítica para el papado. La decisión respondió tanto a la inestabilidad política de Roma, asediada por conflictos y violencia, como a la conveniencia francesa, que prefería tener al papa cerca.
Skoda relata en HistoryExtra: “El rey de Francia no quería al papa en Roma”. Con la sede pontificia más próxima, creció la percepción de que el papa respondía a intereses franceses, debilitando la idea de liderazgo para toda la cristiandad.
Esta pérdida de autonomía alimentó críticas y sospechas sobre el auténtico centro de poder de la Iglesia. En 1377, el papado regresó a Roma, pero lejos de restaurar el orden, la situación generó el mayor escándalo institucional de la época: la existencia de papados rivales.
Fallecido Gregorio XI, la elección de Urbano VI resultó inmediatamente controvertida. Varios cardenales rechazaron el resultado y declararon inválida la elección, nombrando a otro candidato. Skoda lo resume así en HistoryExtra: “Intentan deponerlo y elegir a otro papa”.
Urbano VI se negó a dimitir, por lo que, mientras él seguía en Roma, sus adversarios eligieron a un segundo papa instalado en Avignon. Así, Europa quedó dividida y la lucha por la legitimidad papal implicó a los reinos de la época, especialmente a Inglaterra y Francia, cuyas alianzas opuestas se intensificaron durante la Guerra de los Cien Años.
En 1409, el Concilio de Pisa intentó resolver la crisis de la Iglesia destituyendo a los dos pontífices enfrentados y nombrando a uno nuevo para reunificar el poder religioso. Sin embargo, la estrategia terminó agravando el conflicto. “No logran deponer a los dos papas existentes”, explicó Skoda, quien añadió: “Pero sí eligen a uno nuevo; así que entonces hay tres papas simultáneos”. La cristiandad quedó así atrapada en una situación inédita: tres líderes disputando la legitimidad del papado y profundizando la fractura eclesiástica.
El desenlace solo llegó tras el Concilio de Constanza (1414–1418). Tras negociaciones y renuncias forzadas, las facciones rivales se disolvieron y, en 1417, fue elegido un único dirigente para la Iglesia: Martín V.
Según HistoryExtra, “solo el Concilio de Constanza puso fin a la crisis”, restaurando, al menos formalmente, la unidad de la Iglesia y cerrando uno de los periodos más intensos de inestabilidad y escándalo en la Edad Media.
Aviñón,Palacio de los Papas,Celestino V,Bonifacio VIII,Papas,historia,medieval,acuarela,Francia,religión
INTERNACIONAL
RFK Jr announces ‘largest autism fraud bust in American history’ with $46.6M Medicaid scheme indictment
Jonathan Fahey discusses DOJ’s $90 million Minnesota fraud ring bust
Jonathan Fahey, former DHS deputy assistant secretary, discusses the Department of Justice’s $90 million Medicaid fraud bust in Minnesota. Fahey explains that the widespread fraud is likely just the tip of the iceberg, with more revelations expected from cooperating defendants. He questions why Democrats previously ignored these programs for political reasons.
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Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the indictment of two Minnesota defendants charged in what officials called the «largest autism fraud bust in American history.»
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted 55-year-old Shamso Ahmed Hassan and 25-year-old Hanaan Mursal Yusuf, slapping them with numerous counts of fraud and related charges for their alleged $46.6 million scheme to defraud Minnesota Medicaid’s Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention (EIDBI) Program.
The indictment was part of a wider enforcement action taken by the DOJ’s National Fraud Enforcement Division that swept up 15 alleged fraudsters in indictments for schemes that targeted over $90 million in taxpayer funds.
«Today’s arrests represent the largest autism fraud bust in American history. This was not a paperwork error. It was not a technical violation. This was organized theft that exploited the most vulnerable children in America, deceived families, stole taxpayer dollars meant to help children with autism access legitimate care and support,» Kennedy Jr. said in a Friday news conference.
‘EPICENTER OF FRAUD’: MINNESOTA’S EMPTY STOMACHS, FAKE AUTISM THERAPY AND A SCANDAL THAT COULD TOP $2 BILLION
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., speaks to the media about alleged Medicaid fraud, and charges that were brought up against 15 individuals at the federal courthouse in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 21, 2026. (Christopher Juhn/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Hassan was a shareholder in two autism centers, Smart Therapy Center and Star Autism Center, but she did not disclose her ownership to the Minnesota Department of Human Services as required by law, prosecutors said. Yusuf worked at the Smart Therapy Center and helped operate the center, including by submitting the businesses’ claims for Medicaid reimbursement, according to the indictment.
MINNESOTA FRAUD SUSPECT WHO JUMPED FROM BUILDING IS ARRESTED, FBI SAYS
The pair allegedly paid kickbacks to families to incentivize them to send their children to Smart Therapy Center and Star Autism Center so they could bill for autism-related services in their children’s names. They then billed Medicaid for services that were not rendered or were not reimbursable by Medicaid, according to the indictment.
Of the $46.6 million they filed for reimbursement, $21.6 million was paid out, per the indictment. The DOJ is seeking restitution for that money.
Assistant Attorney General for the National Fraud Enforcement Division Colin McDonald addresses the media to announce actions combating fraud in Minnesota at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota on May 21, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Department of Justice is bringing charges against 15 people for fraud that targeted seven Medicaid programs and over $90 million in taxpayer dollars. (David Berding/Getty Images)
The pair «diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars of the fraud proceeds» to «their families’ personal use and benefit, including through real property purchases and transferring funds overseas, including to Kenya,» according to the indictment.
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The defendants were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and one count of money laundering. Yusuf was charged with five counts of healthcare fraud, while Hassan was charged with two.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. addresses the media to announce actions combating fraud in Minnesota at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota on May 21, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (David Berding/Getty Images)
«Every fraudulent autism diagnosis steals time, care, and resources from the children for whom this program was designed and who desperately need this care. Families with autistic children already face enormous challenges navigating therapies, specialists, and support systems. Fraud makes those barriers even steeper,» Kennedy Jr. said in the announcement.
health care executive, robert f kennedy jr, childrens health, minnesota fraud exposed, autism
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