The Pentagon said Friday that about 5,000 American troops will leave Germany over the next six to 12 months. The decision follows a public dispute between President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the U.S.-led war in Iran.
A senior defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, described recent comments from Germany as "inappropriate and unhelpful." Merz had said the U.S. was being "humiliated" by Iranian leaders and questioned Washington's strategy for ending the two-month-old conflict. Trump responded by criticizing Merz on social media and threatening to cut troop numbers.
The withdrawal will remove an Army brigade combat team from Germany. It also cancels a Biden-era plan to deploy long-range missile units to the country. Officials said the move would return U.S. troop levels in Europe to roughly where they were before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Germany currently has about 36,000 active-duty U.S. service members, more than any other country in Europe. The country hosts key U.S. military facilities, including the headquarters for U.S. European Command and Africa Command, as well as Ramstein Air Base and the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said the government was prepared for a reduction in U.S. troops. He added that large American bases in Germany were not up for discussion and held an irreplaceable function for both countries.
Trump has also suggested he may reduce U.S. forces in Italy and Spain, criticizing those countries for failing to support U.S. operations against Iran. On Thursday, he told reporters, “Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible, absolutely horrible.”
Critics in Washington warned the withdrawal could damage NATO alliances and benefit Russia. Senator Jack Reed, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said the move suggested “American commitments to our allies are dependent on the president’s mood.”
Trump has long sought to reduce the U.S. military presence in Germany. He pushed for a similar cut at the end of his first term, but that plan was never enacted and later reversed by President Biden.