For nearly eight decades, American soldiers have been part of daily life in the small Bavarian town of Vilseck. Their presence is reflected everywhere; from English signs on shopfronts to restaurants serving American favourites and businesses built around the needs of thousands of U.S. military families.

However, President Donald Trump's plans to withdraw around 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany has left this town wondering what the future holds.

Vilseck is home to the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, one of the U.S. Army's most visible units in Europe. While the Pentagon has not publicly named which garrisons will be affected, uncertainty is already being felt in communities that have grown around the American presence.

"People are naturally very worried," says Vilseck Mayor Thorsten Grädler.

Around 12,000 to 13,000 American soldiers and their families live in Vilseck and the surrounding area, making them a major part of the local community and economy.

Grädler estimates the nearby US training area generates between 650 million and 700 million euros annually, with around 3,000 jobs directly connected to the military facilities.

"That is a truly substantial amount of money being invested here," he says. "The loss of these jobs would have dramatic consequences for us."

Trump announced the withdrawal earlier this year, on Grädler's first day as mayor. Since then, he says local authorities have already begun preparing for a possible economic impact, working with state and federal governments to attract new businesses to the region.

"We are already actively considering how to attract new jobs to the area," Grädler says. "We have designated a new commercial and industrial zone and are attempting to attract new companies there."

For many local businesses, the concern is personal as well as financial.

Veronika Varga, who has operated her dog grooming salon in Vilseck for 17 years, says American customers account for about 70 percent of her business.

"We live with the Americans, and one has to admit, we also live off the Americans," she says. "They are the ones who really inject energy and excitement into our lives here."

With a population of only around 6,000 people, she says the sudden departure of thousands of Americans would be difficult to absorb.

"If the Americans were suddenly no longer here, I honestly don't know how we would get by," she says.

The uncertainty has been intensified by mixed signals over the future of U.S. forces elsewhere in Europe. Washington cancelled a planned deployment of around 4,000 U.S. troops to Poland, only for President Trump later to announce plans for an additional troop presence there.

Several U.S. personnel in Vilseck told CGTN they remain sceptical that the withdrawal from Germany will actually happen. One service member said he had been scheduled for a transfer to Poland, only to later learn that the move would not proceed.

For business owner Yüksel Savinç, the potential departure represents more than an economic loss.

"People have established deep connections," he says. "It's not just about military matters or business dealings. People have gotten married, formed lasting friendships. You can't just make all of that vanish overnight."

During Trump's first term, similar plans to reduce U.S. forces in Germany were eventually reversed under President Joe Biden.

For now, life in Vilseck continues as usual. American soldiers still train nearby, local businesses continue serving U.S. customers, and decades-old friendships remain strong.

But residents are waiting to see whether this time the planned withdrawal becomes reality or whether the American presence that has shaped this Bavarian town for generations will continue.