Romanian President Thanks Trump for Remarks Praising Romanian People and Bilateral Ties
Bucharest, The Gulf Observer: Romanian President Nicușor Dan on Wednesday expressed gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump for his “very kind and powerful words regarding the Romanian people,” following Trump’s recent comments about the U.S. troop rotation in Europe.
Trump made the remarks after hosting Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at the White House on November 7. When asked about the partial withdrawal of U.S. forces from certain NATO bases in Europe—specifically mentioning Romania—the U.S. President clarified that Washington was “making adjustments” rather than reducing its overall presence.
“What we’re doing is making adjustments. We’re moving troops. The total number remains the same; we’re just redistributing forces. I like Romanians, I think they’re a great people,” Trump stated, adding that relations between the United States and Romania remain strong.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth elaborated that the troop rotation forms part of Washington’s “broader vision for Europe,” noting that forces will continue to be stationed in Romania but with modified deployment patterns. He emphasized that the process was coordinated with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and allied nations.
In response, President Nicușor Dan conveyed his appreciation in a post on X, formerly Twitter, writing: “Thank you, Donald Trump, for the very kind and powerful words regarding the Romanian people and for reaffirming the tremendous strength of the relationship between our two nations. I look forward to thanking you personally.”
Dan further reaffirmed Romania’s commitment to “further fortify the Romanian-American strategic partnership, in the spirit of our shared values.”
The United States withdrew part of its contingent from Romania in late October as part of a scheduled troop rotation across several NATO member states, including Bulgaria, Slovakia, and Hungary. Romanian authorities clarified that the adjustment did not signify a withdrawal, noting that approximately 1,000 U.S. soldiers remain stationed in the country.
However, the decision has sparked debate within the United States, with officials from both major parties voicing concern. Former U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker criticized the move, telling Euronews that “the announcement of U.S. troop downsizing in Romania was not the message the U.S. needs to be sending to Putin right now.”
