On Friday, Pentagon officials announced plans to retract 5,000 American troops from Germany, a move reflecting ongoing tensions between Berlin and President Trump regarding the conflict with Iran.
“The Secretary of War has directed the removal of around 5,000 troops from German soil,” articulated Sean Parnell, the chief spokesperson for the Pentagon, in a formal announcement.
He explained that this decision emerged from a comprehensive evaluation of the Department’s military positioning in Europe, taking into account both operational needs and current conditions in the region.
A senior Pentagon source conveyed to Reuters that the President’s response is justified, labeling recent German statements about the conflict as “inappropriate and unhelpful,” and suggesting they hinder progress.
This troop reduction is projected to occur over the next 6 to 12 months.
Germany currently hosts approximately 35,000 active-duty U.S. military personnel, with Ramstein Air Base serving as the largest American military installation in Europe.
On Monday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz argued the US had been âhumiliated by the Iranian leadership.â
âThe Iranians are clearly stronger than expected and the Americans clearly have no truly convincing strategy in the negotiations either,â Merz said.
Meanwhile, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has described the Iran war as a âdisastrous mistake,â accusing the US of violating international law.
In response to Merzâs criticism, Trump fumed on Truth Social that the chancellor âshould spend more time on ending the war with Russia/Ukraine (Where he has been totally ineffective!), and fixing his broken Country, especially Immigration and Energy, and less time on interfering with those that are getting rid of the Iran Nuclear threat, thereby making the World, including Germany, a safer place!â
In 2020, Trump ordered the withdrawal of about 12,000 troops from the country but congressional lawmakers resisted funding the exit and the plan was scrapped when former President Joe Biden took office.
Trump teased the potential for the latest troop reduction earlier this week.
âThe United States is studying and reviewing the possible reduction of Troops in Germany, with a determination to be made over the next short period of time,â Trump wrote on Truth Social Wednesday.
The president has also suggested that US troops could be moved out of Italy and Spain.
âWhy shouldn’t I? Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible. Absolutely horrible,â Trump said in the Oval Office on Thursday.
âWe helped them with Ukraine⦠but when we needed them, they were not there. We have to remember that.â
