BBC
The United States Department of Defence has announced its plan to reduce troop levels in Germany by 5,000 as tensions escalate between President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz regarding U.S. strategy towards Iran.
This decision follows critical comments made by Trump, who on Thursday responded to Merz's assertion that the U.S. had been "humiliated" in negotiations with Iranian officials. In a series of social media posts, Trump criticized Merz's performance, labeling it as "terrible" and highlighting various issues, including immigration and energy policies. Additionally, Trump hinted at the possibility of withdrawing U.S. forces from Italy and Spain.
Currently, the U.S. maintains a substantial military presence in Germany, with over 36,000 active-duty personnel stationed at various bases across the country as recorded last December.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell clarified that this decision was directed by Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth. "This decision follows a thorough review of the Department's force posture in Europe and is a recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground," Parnell stated. He further indicated, "We expect the withdrawal to be completed over the next six to twelve months."
As a long-time critic of the NATO alliance, Trump has expressed discontent with allied nations for their reluctance to engage in efforts aimed at securing the Strait of Hormuz. When asked if troop reductions could also extend to Italy and Spain, Trump responded affirmatively, stating, "I probably will - look, why shouldn't I?" He elaborated that both countries had not offered sufficient support regarding the situation in Iran, stating, "In all cases they said, 'I don't want to get involved.'"
Earlier in the week, Merz addressed students at a university, expressing concern that "the Americans clearly have no strategy" and raised questions about the potential for a "strategic exit." He remarked on the Iranians' adeptness at negotiating, suggesting that they skillfully prevented any productive dialogue during U.S. officials' recent travels.
In reaction, Trump took to his platform, Truth Social, to assert that Merz believed it was acceptable for Iran to possess a nuclear weapon, claiming that Merz was misinformed. His post concluded with a critical note about Germany's economic and political performance.
With regard to military deployments in Europe, the U.S. presence in Germany remains the largest, surpassing approximately 12,000 troops stationed in Italy and around 10,000 in the UK. A significant number of these forces are located at Ramstein Air Base, near Kaiserslautern in southwestern Germany.
Although Trump has previously suggested troop reductions in Germany, such proposals have yet to be realized. Japan remains the only country hosting a larger contingent of U.S. troops. In 2020, a plan to transfer 12,000 U.S. troops from Germany to either other NATO member states in Europe or back to the United States was halted by Congress and later overturned by President Joe Biden, following Trump's accusations that Germany was "delinquent" in its defense spending, which lagged well below NATO's 2% GDP target.
However, significant changes in Germany's military budget are anticipated under the Merz administration. Projections indicate that Germany will allocate €105.8 billion (£91 billion) toward defense by 2027, with expenditure set to reach 3.1% of GDP next year.
Share this story