U.S. to Withdraw 5,000 Troops from Germany Amid Rift with Europe Over Iran Conflict

EPA

U.S. soldiers in Hohenfels, Germany.

The Pentagon announced on Friday that the United States will withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany, a key NATO ally, as divisions deepen between Washington and European partners over the conflict with Iran.

U.S. President Donald Trump had earlier signalled a possible troop reduction following a dispute with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who on Monday criticised the direction of U.S. policy. Merz said Iran was gaining the upper hand in negotiations to end the two-month conflict and questioned Washington’s exit strategy.

Reuters cited a senior Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity, as saying that recent German rhetoric had been "inappropriate and unhelpful."

"The president is rightly reacting to these counterproductive remarks," the official said.

The Pentagon said the withdrawal is expected to be completed within six to 12 months. Germany currently hosts around 35,000 active-duty U.S. military personnel, more than any other country in Europe.

According to the U.S. official, the drawdown would return troop levels on the continent to roughly their pre-2022 levels, before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted a military build-up under former President Joe Biden.

The decision was also framed as part of the administration’s broader push for Europe to assume greater responsibility for its own security.

Earlier this week, the German government approved key targets for its 2027 budget, including a significant increase in defence spending.

Imran Bayoumi, a former Pentagon official, said that while the reductions in Germany are not as extensive as they could have been, they nonetheless risk further straining relations between the United States and its European allies.

"European leaders will likely push more to bolster their defence spending, viewing Washington as increasingly unreliable and untrustworthy," said Bayoumi, now with the Atlantic Council.

Source: Reuters



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