The Pentagon confirmed Friday it will redeploy five thousand US soldiers stationed in Germany, in what officials privately described as a punishment for Berlin’s criticism of Washington DC’s Iran war strategy.
Pentagon Confirms Germany Troop Withdrawal Over Six to Twelve Months
The United States is withdrawing 5,000 troops from Germany, the Pentagon announced on Friday, reducing its military presence in the country to levels last seen before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The decision follows pointed public criticism from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who this week accused Washington DC of having no coherent strategy in Iran War and said the United States had been “humiliated” by Tehran, New York Times and Guardian quoted.
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 in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground.” The withdrawal is expected to be completed within six to twelve months.
What Triggered the US Decision to Pull Troops from Germany
The immediate trigger was a public broadside 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 endgame.
“The Americans obviously have no strategy,” Merz said.
President Donald Trump responded sharply on his Truth Social platform, writing on Thursday: “The 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.”
He followed up with a further post directed at Merz: “The Chancellor of Germany should 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!”
A senior Pentagon official, told New York Times confirmed that Germany’s refusal to contribute to the Iran war effort had angered Washington and that the country’s recent public statements had been “inappropriate and unhelpful.”
“The president is rightly reacting to these counterproductive remarks,” the official said.
Which US Units Are Being Withdrawn from Germany
The drawdown involves a brigade combat team currently stationed in Germany, which will be pulled out entirely. Additionally, a long-range fires battalion equipped with missiles that the Biden administration had planned to begin deploying to Germany later this year will no longer be sent.
The net effect returns the US troop presence in Europe to the numbers in place before Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Last year, the Pentagon had already redeployed a brigade from Romania without sending a replacement.
Germany Remains the Second Largest US Military Host in the World
Despite the reduction, Germany would continue to host more than 30,000 active-duty US personnel, making it the second largest host country for American troops globally, behind only Japan. The country serves as a critical logistical and medical hub for US military operations across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
Germany houses the US military’s Africa Command and European Command headquarters, and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center at Ramstein Air Base has treated many troops wounded in the Iran war. Pentagon officials confirmed the drawdown will not affect Landstuhl or other medical facilities.
Trump Also Threatens Italy and Spain Over Iran War Support
The announcement regarding Germany came alongside threats from Trump directed at Italy and Spain, both of whom have declined to fully support US operations in Iran and the effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Asked Thursday whether he would consider pulling US troops from Italy and Spain, Trump told reporters: “Probably … look, why shouldn’t I? Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible, absolutely horrible.”
Italy’s defence minister, Guido Crosetto, rejected the accusations, saying Rome had been actively engaged in maritime security efforts. Alluding to Trump’s specific allegations about European-linked vessels crossing the Strait of Hormuz, Crosetto told the Italian news agency Ansa: “As is clear to everyone, this never happened. We have also made ourselves available for a mission to protect shipping. This was greatly appreciated by the American military.”
Around 13,000 US military personnel are stationed across seven naval bases in Italy. Spain hosts approximately 3,800 active-duty personnel at two joint-use facilities, the Rota naval station and the Morón airbase, both in Andalusia.
Spain and Italy’s Strained Relations with Washington DC Over Iran War
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has been among the most vocal European critics of the US-led campaign in Iran, having denied Washington permission to use jointly operated military bases on Spanish territory for strikes on the country. 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,” adding that Spain would not be “complicit in something that is bad for the world and that is also contrary to our values and interests.”
Italy’s position has been more complicated. Rome refused in late March to allow US military aircraft carrying weapons for the Iran campaign to transit the Sigonella air base in Sicily, citing treaty obligations that restrict the base’s use to logistics and training rather than weapons transit in non-emergency situations. Relations deteriorated further after Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticised Trump following the president’s attack on Pope Leo over the pontiff’s condemnation of the Iran war. Trump accused Meloni of lacking courage.
Republican Voices Warn Against NATO Alliance Damage
The troop withdrawal announcement prompted concern from within Trump’s own party. Representative Don Bacon, a Republican, wrote on social media: “The continued attacks on Nato allies … hurt Americans. The two big airfields in Germany give us great access in three continents. We are shooting ourselves in our own feet.”
Defence analysts noted that the US presence in Germany has evolved since the Cold War into an irreplaceable forward-staging base for operations across three continents, including the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and, most recently, Iran. The US House of Representatives, in an apparent attempt to limit executive authority over NATO commitments, passed legislation late last year barring troop levels in Europe from falling below 76,000 for more than 45 days without congressional approval.
At the end of 2025, the US military had approximately 68,000 active-duty personnel permanently assigned to overseas bases in Europe.
German Military Officials Reportedly Sceptical the Withdrawal Will Fully Materialise
Despite the official announcements, German military officials were said to be taking the threats in stride. “They’re saying ‘we’ve seen this movie before. This is going to be a lot of bluster and at the end of the day, nothing is going to change,'” a former senior US military official told Reuters.
The shift in tone from the Pentagon is notable given that American defence officials had, until recently, publicly praised Germany for increasing its military spending and stepping up support for Ukraine.
On 1 April, Trump said he was “absolutely without question” considering withdrawing from NATO because of European allies’ refusal to assist in the Iran campaign and help secure the Strait of Hormuz. A US withdrawal from the alliance is considered unlikely given legislation passed in 2024 that requires either a two-thirds Senate majority or an act of Congress before a president can leave NATO.
