The U.S. military plans to withdraw around 5,000 troops from Germany within the period of six to twelve months, as confirmed by the Pentagon in a statement released Friday.
The move fulfills the promise made by President Donald Trump to retaliate against Berlin for its criticism of America’s military operation against Iran.
The reduction of the military, which consists of one brigade combat team, among other forces, represents the largest withdrawal of American soldiers from Europe in more than half a century.
This comes amid reports of comments made by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to some school pupils, saying that the U.S. is humiliated by Iranian leaders and does not have an exit strategy from its military operations.
Mr. Merz also drew comparisons with the military interventions of the U.S. in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The comment infuriated President Trump who called out the German leader as someone who doesn’t know anything about the situation.
A senior Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity, last week said Berlin’s recent rhetoric was “inappropriate and unhelpful.”
In response to those comments and a broader effort to get European countries to do more for their own defense, the official said the withdrawal was a response.
In a written statement, Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell confirmed the timeline, saying the move was the result of a force posture review and conditions on the ground.
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The withdrawals will not impact the transport or care of injured troops at Landstuhl Regional Medical Centre, the largest US military hospital abroad, which has been treating personnel wounded in the Iran conflict.
During his first presidency, Trump also tried to carry out a similar initiative by requesting for the reduction of 9,500 troops from Germany due to the country’s failure to spend adequately on its defence budget. However, the plan was abandoned.
Congressional response
The move elicited strong reactions from Democrats in Congress and experts in defence policies.
Democratic Representative Adam Smith, ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, noted that Germany had been granting base access for operations in the Middle East without being asked about its opinion on the war.
Smith pointed out that the move was contrary to bipartisan legislation and urged his fellow Republicans to reconsider.
The Pentagon had drafted an internal memo setting forth potential measures to penalize NATO partners for their lack of commitment to the Iranian offensive, ranging from expelling Spain from the bloc to reviewing American support for Britain’s claim to the Falkland Islands.
Trump had called NATO a “paper tiger” for its unwillingness to contribute troops to the battle, despite a law enacted in 2023 prohibiting him from withdrawing the United States from NATO without Congressional authorization.
German officials said they were surprised by the move, noting that Berlin had allowed the use of its bases and granted overflight rights in support of US operations.
The reduction of troops is likely to increase unease about the reliability of America’s security commitments at a time of acute global instability in European capitals already grappling with soaring energy prices as a result of the closing of the Strait of Hormuz.
