ISTANBUL

US President Donald Trump is reportedly weighing the withdrawal of US troops from Germany, a possibility his administration has considered since he took office last year, according to a report on Friday.

Sources close to the administration said “the frustration we’ve had with the Europeans has been very real,” adding that “any country that’s not paying 5 percent shouldn’t be allowed to vote on future expenditures at NATO,” according to The Telegraph.

All NATO members now allocate at least 2 percent of their GDP to defense, a benchmark set in 2014. Mark Rutte said leaders will need to outline plans to reach the next goal of 5 percent at a summit in Ankara later this year.

“You shouldn’t be able to vote to spend future money if you’re not paying,” one of the sources told the Telegraph.

The Telegraph also reported in March last year that Trump was considering withdrawing around 35,000 active personnel from Germany, a move that could further strain US-Europe relations.