The Pentagon is pulling approximately 5,000 troops from Germany over the next six to twelve months, the Defense Department confirmed Friday, marking a sharp escalation in tensions between the Trump administration and its German allies over the ongoing conflict with Iran.
The withdrawal will include an entire brigade combat team and supporting units stationed across the country. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the decision came after a comprehensive review of U.S. force positioning in Europe and reflected current operational requirements, but senior military officials made clear the move was a direct response to recent criticism from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz about American strategy in the region.
Merz sparked Trump's fury earlier this week when he told high school students in Germany that the U.S. lacked a coherent strategy in its conflict with Iran. "The Americans obviously have no strategy," the chancellor said, comparing the situation to past American military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq. "I do not see at the moment what strategic exit the Americans are choosing now."
Trump responded with characteristic fury, posting online that Merz "thinks it's OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. He doesn't know what he's talking about!" The president also took a shot at Germany's broader economic standing, posting: "Still, Merz told reporters Wednesday that his personal relationship between the American president and me is, from my perspective, still good."
A senior Pentagon official underscored the frustration driving the decision, telling reporters that allies needed to demonstrate commitment. "The Europeans have not stepped up when America needed them," the official said. "This cannot be a one-way street." The troop realignment also reflects longstanding Pentagon interest in shifting resources away from Europe toward the Indo-Pacific region.
Germany currently hosts roughly 35,000 American troops, the largest U.S. military presence in any European nation. The country serves as a critical logistics and medical hub for American operations across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Key installations include Ramstein Air Base, headquarters of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Africa; Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the largest American hospital outside the U.S.; and Hohenfels, the sole U.S. Army combat training center located outside American territory. Germany is also home to two major U.S. combatant commands: U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command.
The withdrawal does not appear to impact the massive medical facilities like Landstuhl, where thousands of service members, including those wounded during operations in Iran, receive treatment. The specific destinations for the withdrawn troops remain unclear; they may redeploy to other European bases, return stateside, or go elsewhere.
During his first term, Trump announced plans to remove about 9,500 of the roughly 34,500 troops then based in Germany, but that withdrawal never materialized. President Joe Biden formally halted the planned pullout upon taking office in 2021. One Pentagon official indicated Friday's decision would bring troop levels back to 2022 numbers.
The German government has long emphasized that the American troop presence strengthens NATO security and provides essential infrastructure for U.S. global operations. A German embassy spokesperson declined to comment on the announcement. The move comes just days after Germany's armed forces chief visited Washington to discuss a new military strategy requiring substantial investments in advanced weaponry.
The U.S. and Israel-led conflict with Iran began February 28. Though a temporary ceasefire is now in place for diplomatic talks, negotiations have yet to produce a final agreement. Iran continues to block the critical Strait of Hormuz.
Trump signaled Thursday that Germany may not be alone in losing American troops. When asked about U.S. forces in Italy and Spain, he told reporters: "Why shouldn't I? Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible, absolutely horrible."
Author Sarah Mitchell: "Trump using troop deployments as punishment for political disagreement is dangerous diplomacy that weakens the alliances America needs most."
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