US to Withdraw 5,000 Troops from Germany Amid Tensions with Europe
WASHINGTON: The Pentagon announced on Friday that the United States will withdraw 5,000 troops from NATO ally Germany. This decision comes as relations between President Donald Trump and European leaders grow strained over the ongoing conflict in Iran.
Earlier this week, tension escalated when Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany criticized the US’s handling of the situation, suggesting that Iran was taking advantage of America in negotiations to end the two-month-old war. He expressed doubts about the US’s strategy moving forward.
A senior Pentagon official, who spoke anonymously, described Germany’s recent statements as “inappropriate and unhelpful.” The official added, “The president is responding to these counterproductive remarks.”
The troop withdrawal is expected to occur over the next six to twelve months. Currently, around 35,000 active-duty US personnel are stationed in Germany, the largest number in any European nation.
The official indicated that this drawdown would reduce US troop levels in Europe to what they were before 2022, before former President Joe Biden ordered a troop increase following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This move is part of the Trump administration’s goal for European nations to take greater responsibility for their own security.
Tensions between the US and Germany have become more pronounced, especially as Trump has criticized not only Germany but also other NATO allies for not supporting US maritime efforts in the Strait of Hormuz, crucial for global oil supplies.
Chancellor Merz claimed that the United States and Israel did not consult European countries before launching attacks on Iran, and he made his skepticism about the conflict clear to Trump.
The Pentagon official reiterated that Trump has been frustrated with allies who do not support US operations, which he believes benefit them as well.
Trump has long sought to reduce the US military presence in Germany, a plan he started during his first term but was halted after he lost the election.
The announcement of troop reductions surprised some German military officials, who noted that constructive meetings had taken place earlier that day with Pentagon officials. They contended that Germany has contributed significantly to supporting US efforts in Iran by allowing the use of military bases and facilitating overflights. Germany also hosts a major military hospital in Landstuhl.
As part of the withdrawal, a brigade combat team currently in Germany will leave, and a long-range fires battalion planned for deployment later this year will be canceled, according to the official.
