The United States Department of Defense is preparing to withdraw around 5,000 American troops from Germany amid growing tensions between President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the conflict involving Iran.
The planned troop reduction comes shortly after Trump publicly criticised Merz following comments suggesting the United States had been embarrassed during negotiations with Iran.
Currently, the United States maintains one of its largest overseas military deployments in Germany, with more than 36,000 active-duty personnel stationed across several military bases.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius acknowledged the development, saying the presence of American troops in Germany remains beneficial to both countries. However, he noted that a reduction in US military presence across Europe had been anticipated for some time.
Trump intensified tensions through social media posts in which he accused Merz of poor leadership and criticised Germany’s handling of issues such as immigration and energy.
A statement from Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed that the withdrawal order was issued by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth following a strategic review of US military positioning in Europe.
According to the Pentagon, the troop reduction is expected to be completed within six to twelve months.
Trump, who has frequently questioned the value of the NATO alliance, has also criticised European allies for refusing to support operations aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz during tensions with Iran.
He further suggested that troop withdrawals could extend to countries like Italy and Spain, accusing them of failing to support US military efforts.
Earlier this week, Merz reportedly criticised Washington’s handling of negotiations with Iran, arguing that the United States lacked a clear strategic direction and had been outmanoeuvred diplomatically by Iranian officials.
In response, Trump attacked the German leader on his Truth Social platform, accusing him of misunderstanding the Iranian nuclear issue and blaming Germany’s economic struggles on weak leadership.
Germany currently hosts the largest US troop presence in Europe, with major military operations centred around Ramstein Air Base.
The move also revives earlier proposals made during Trump’s previous administration to reduce military forces in Germany, plans that were later reversed under former President Joe Biden.
At the time, Trump accused Germany of failing to meet NATO’s defence spending targets. However, under Merz’s administration, Germany has significantly increased defence investment and is projected to spend over 3% of its GDP on defence by 2027.
The US has also reduced troop levels in Romania as part of a broader strategy to shift military focus toward the Indo-Pacific region, a move that has generated concern among some Eastern European allies wary of growing Russian influence.
