The Pentagon announced on Friday that the United States will remove approximately 5,000 troops from Germany within the next six to 12 months, a move that aligns with earlier warnings issued by Donald Trump during escalating disagreements with German leadership over the U.S. war with Iran.
Earlier in the week, Trump signaled the possibility of reducing the American military presence in the NATO ally after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the U.S. was being “humiliated” by Iran’s leadership and faulted Washington for lacking a clear strategy in the conflict.
In an official statement, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell explained that the “decision follows a thorough review of the Department’s force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground.”
Germany currently hosts several major U.S. military installations, including headquarters for its European and Africa commands, as well as Ramstein Air Base and a military medical facility in Landstuhl, which has treated casualties from conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. The country also accommodates U.S. nuclear weapons.
The planned reduction represents roughly 14 percent of the 36,000 American troops presently stationed in Germany.
The announcement prompted immediate criticism from Democrats in Congress and security analysts in Washington, who argued the decision could strengthen Vladimir Putin and undermine U.S. strategic interests.
The withdrawal “suggests American commitments to our allies are dependent on the president’s mood,” said Sen. Jack Reed, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
“The president should immediately cease this reckless action before he causes irreversible consequences for our alliances and long-term national security,” Reed said.
Bradley Bowman of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies warned that the U.S. military footprint in Germany and across Europe “not only strengthens deterrence against additional Kremlin aggression but also facilitates the projection of American military power into the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Africa.”
Trump declined to address reporters’ questions about the withdrawal on Friday while boarding Air Force One in Ocala, Florida after a campaign-style rally focused on economic policy.
During his first term, Trump had floated a similar proposal to withdraw about 9,500 troops from Germany but did not implement it. The plan was later halted by Joe Biden shortly after he assumed office in 2021.
Trump has repeatedly questioned the scale of U.S. troop deployments in Germany and criticized NATO allies for not offering sufficient support in the war, which began on February 28 with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.
In a social media post on Wednesday, Trump said a review of troop levels in Germany was underway, adding that a final “determination” would be made soon. A day later, he again criticized Merz, saying the German leader should “spend more time on ending the war with Russia/Ukraine” and “fixing his broken Country” rather than focusing on Iran.
Allied nations within NATO have been preparing for a possible U.S. drawdown since Trump returned to office, amid signals from Washington that European countries may need to assume greater responsibility for regional security, including support for Ukraine.
Depending on operational needs and troop rotations, between 80,000 and 100,000 U.S. personnel are typically deployed across Europe. Officials had already anticipated that forces sent following Russian invasion of Ukraine would be among the first to be withdrawn.
Ed Arnold of the Royal United Services Institute noted that European concerns are also focused on the potential redeployment of U.S. defense systems, including Patriot missiles and ammunition, from Germany to the Middle East.
In October, Washington confirmed plans to scale down troop numbers along NATO’s eastern flank near Ukraine, cutting between 1,500 and 3,000 personnel in a move that unsettled allies such as Romania, where the alliance operates an air base.
