The Pentagon confirmed on Friday that it would move 5,000 US troops stationed in Germany, in what officials privately said was punishment for Berlin’s criticism of Washington DC’s Iran war strategy.
The Pentagon confirmed the withdrawal of German troops in six to twelve months
The United States is withdrawing 5,000 troops from Germany, the Pentagon announced Friday, reducing its military presence in the country to levels last seen before Russia launches a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The decision follows sharp public criticism from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who this week accused Washington DC of having no coherent strategy in the Iran war and said the United States had been “humiliated” by Tehran, as quoted by the New York Times and the Guardian.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the drawdown in an official statement, saying it “follows a thorough review of the Department’s force posture in Europe and is consistent with theater requirements and conditions on the ground.” The withdrawal is expected to be completed within six to twelve months.
What prompted the US decision to withdraw troops from Germany
The immediate trigger was a public message from Merz earlier this week. Speaking about the ongoing US military campaign against Iran, the chancellor said Tehran had “humiliated” the United States and questioned Washington’s end.
“The Americans obviously have no strategy,” Merz said.
President Donald Trump reacted sharply on his Truth Social platform, writing on Thursday: “The United States is studying and reviewing a possible reduction in the number of troops in Germany with a determination to be made over the next short period of time.”
He followed up with another post aimed at Merz: “The German chancellor should spend more time ending the war with Russia/Ukraine (where he has been totally ineffective!) and fixing his broken country, especially immigration and energy, and less time interfering with those getting rid of the Iranian nuclear threat, making the world, including Germany, a safer place!”
A senior Pentagon official told the New York Times that he confirmed that Germany’s refusal to contribute to Iran’s war effort had angered Washington and that the country’s recent public statements were “inappropriate and unhelpful.”
“The president is right to respond to these counterproductive remarks,” the official said.
Which US troops are withdrawing from Germany
The withdrawal affects the brigade combat team currently stationed in Germany, which will be completely withdrawn. In addition, the missile-equipped long-range strike battalion that the Biden administration planned to begin deploying to Germany later this year will no longer be sent.
The net effect brings the US troop presence in Europe back to the numbers before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Last year, the Pentagon already moved a brigade out of Romania without sending a replacement.
Germany remains the second largest US military host in the world
Despite the reduction, Germany will continue to host more than 30,000 active-duty US troops, making it the second largest host country for US troops worldwide, behind only Japan. The country serves as a critical logistics and medical hub for US military operations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Germany is home to the U.S. Army Africa Command and European Command, and the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center at Ramstein Air Force Base has treated many soldiers wounded in the Iran War. Pentagon officials confirmed that the drawdown will not affect Landstuhl or other medical facilities.
Trump also threatens Italy and Spain for supporting a war with Iran
The announcement regarding Germany came alongside threats from Trump directed at Italy and Spain, both of which have refused to fully support US operations in Iran and efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Asked Thursday if he would consider withdrawing American troops from Italy and Spain, Trump told reporters: “Probably … look, why shouldn’t I? Italy didn’t help us at all and Spain was terrible, absolutely terrible.”
Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto denied the allegations, saying Rome was actively involved in maritime security efforts. Referring to Trump’s specific allegations about European-linked vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz, Crosetto told the Italian news agency Ansa: “As everyone is clear, this never happened. We also made ourselves available for a mission to protect shipping. This was greatly appreciated by the US military.”
Around 13,000 US troops are stationed at seven naval bases in Italy. Spain hosts approximately 3,800 active duty personnel at two joint facilities, Naval Station Rota and Air Force Base Morón, both in Andalusia.
Spain and Italy strained relations with Washington DC over the Iran war
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has been among Europe’s most vocal critics of the US-led campaign in Iran, denying Washington permission to use jointly operated military bases on Spanish soil for ground strikes. Last month, Trump threatened to impose a full trade embargo on Spain over the dispute.
At a recent EU summit, Sanchez said Trump’s “illegal war” showed the “failure of brute force” and added that Spain “will not be complicit in something that is bad for the world and that also goes against our values and interests.”
Italy’s position was more complicated. In late March, Rome refused to allow US military aircraft carrying weapons for the Iran campaign to pass through Sigonella Air Base in Sicily, citing treaty obligations that limit the use of the base to logistics and training rather than weapons transit in non-emergency situations. Relations further soured after Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized Trump following the president’s attack on Pope Leo over the pope’s condemnation of the Iran war. Trump accused Meloni of lacking courage.
Republican voices warn of damage to NATO
The troop withdrawal announcement raised concerns within Trump’s own party. Rep. Don Bacon, a Republican, wrote on social media: “Continued attacks on NATO allies … are hurting Americans. Two major airports in Germany give us great access to three continents. We are shooting ourselves in the foot.”
Defense analysts have noted that the American presence in Germany has evolved since the Cold War into an indispensable advance base for operations on three continents, including the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and, most recently, Iran. In an apparent attempt to limit executive power over NATO commitments, the US House of Representatives passed legislation late last year barring troop numbers from falling below 76,000 in Europe for more than 45 days without congressional approval.
At the end of 2025, the US military had approximately 68,000 active duty members permanently assigned to overseas bases in Europe.
German military officials are said to be skeptical that a full withdrawal will take place
Despite official statements, German military officials are said to be taking the threats in stride. “They’re saying ‘we’ve seen this movie before. It’s going to be a lot of fuss and at the end of the day nothing will change,'” a former senior US military official told Reuters.
The shift in tone from the Pentagon is notable given that U.S. defense officials have until recently publicly praised Germany for increasing its military spending and bolstering support for Ukraine.
On April 1, Trump said he was “absolutely without question” considering withdrawing from NATO over the European allies’ refusal to assist in Iran’s campaign and help secure the Strait of Hormuz. A US withdrawal from the alliance is considered unlikely due to legislation passed in 2024 that requires either a two-thirds majority of the Senate or an act of Congress before the president can leave NATO.
