The United States will withdraw around 5,000 troops from Germany, the Pentagon announced on Friday, in a move highlighting growing tensions between Donald Trump and European allies over the ongoing conflict with Iran.
The decision follows a sharp exchange between Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who criticised Washington’s handling of negotiations with Iran, saying Tehran had managed to humiliate the United States. A senior Pentagon official described Merz’s remarks as “inappropriate and unhelpful,” adding that the president was justified in reacting strongly.
Troop levels to revert to pre-Ukraine war scale
According to the Pentagon, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the drawdown, which is expected to be completed within six to twelve months. The move will reduce US troop presence in Europe to levels seen before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, when deployments were increased under former president Joe Biden.
As part of the plan, a brigade combat team currently stationed in Germany will be withdrawn, and a planned deployment of a long-range fires battalion has been cancelled. Germany currently hosts about 35,000 US troops and serves as Washington’s largest military hub in Europe, playing a key role in logistics and training.
NATO tensions deepen over Iran conflict
The decision also reflects widening friction within the NATO alliance. Washington has expressed frustration over what it sees as insufficient support from European partners during the Iran crisis.
Trump has repeatedly criticised allies for not assisting in securing the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global oil route disrupted amid the conflict. Merz, however, has pushed back, arguing that European nations were not consulted before US and Israeli strikes on Iran began on February 28, and raising doubts about the direction of the war.
“The president has been very clear about his frustrations about our allies’ rhetoric and failure to provide support for US operations that benefit them,” the Pentagon official said, according to Reuters.
The troop withdrawal marks a significant shift in US–Europe defence relations, coming at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions and ongoing disruptions to global energy supplies.
