The US administration officially announced the withdrawal of about five thousand American troops from the territory of Germany. The decision was a direct consequence of the public diplomatic conflict between President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz amid negotiations on the Iranian nuclear program.
According to the Pentagon, within the next 6-12 months, the number of American contingent in Germany will be reduced from the current 35 thousand to the level that existed until 2022 (about 30 thousand people). The formal reason for the order of Defense Minister Pete Hegset was, according to officials, “unconstructive and inappropriate” statements of Berlin.
Tensions arose after Chancellor Merz in an interview with German television criticized Washington’s approach to resolving the conflict with Iran. Merz said the U.S. was “humiliated by the Iranian leadership” and acting without a clear strategy.
President Trump immediately reacted, calling Merz’s words “deeply wrong”:
Mercz has no idea what he’s talking about. The U.S. has never been humiliated. This disrespect will have consequences.
The US Department of War confirmed that the decision on Germany is not an isolated case. The Trump administration has also threatened to revise its military presence in Italy and Spain, criticizing allies for insufficient contributions to joint operations, including unlocking the Strait of Hormuz. This has already been reported by “Military Review”.
Official Berlin has so far refrained from immediate retaliation, but German diplomatic sources call the decision “excessive and counterproductive.” Experts fear that the reduction of the contingent will undermine the eastern flank of NATO and reduce the rapid response in Central Europe.
In fact, this is the first large-scale implementation of Trump’s threats to reduce the American presence in Germany, which he has expressed since 2018, criticizing the insufficient, in his opinion, the cost of Germany on defense.
