Why Trump ordered the withdrawal of 5,000 American soldiers from Germany

Trump plans to withdraw 5,000 American troops from Germany Getty Images/via BBC The United States Department of Defense plans to withdraw 5,000 American troops from Germany, amid a dispute between President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the war in Iran. The decision comes a day after Trump criticized Merz. The German chancellor suggested that the US was “humiliated” by Iranian negotiators. The United States has a significant military presence in Germany, with more than 36,000 active-duty soldiers stationed at bases across the country, according to data from December 2025. Trending videos on g1 German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that “the presence of American soldiers in Europe, and particularly in Germany, is in our interests and in the interests of the United States.” At the same time, Pistorius made it clear that the US decision was not a surprise. The fact that the Americans would withdraw troops from Europe and also from Germany “was predictable”, he added. In social media posts on Thursday (4/30), Trump said Merz was “doing a terrible job” and had “problems of all kinds,” including immigration and energy. Trump also suggested withdrawing American troops from Italy and Spain. In a statement, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the order about the departure of American troops in Germany came from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. “This decision follows a thorough review of the Department’s force posture in Europe and recognizes the needs and conditions on the ground,” he detailed. “We expect the withdrawal to be completed within the next six to twelve months,” concluded Parnell. Trump, a longtime critic of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) alliance, has attacked allies for their refusal to participate in operations to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Asked on Thursday whether he would also consider withdrawing American troops from Italy and Spain, Trump responded: “Probably yes; look, why wouldn’t I do that?” “Italy didn’t help us at all and Spain was horrible,” he added, criticizing those countries’ response to the war in Iran. “In every case, they said, ‘I don’t want to get involved,'” Trump added. Merz told college students earlier this week that “Americans clearly have no strategy” and that he could not see “which way out” they could choose. “The Iranians are obviously very skilled at negotiating, or rather, very skilled at not negotiating, letting the Americans go to Islamabad [no Paquistão] and then leave without any results”, commented the German chancellor. He added that the “entire nation”, in reference to the US, was being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership. In response, Trump said on the Truth Social platform that Merz thought it was “normal for Iran to have a nuclear weapon” and that he “doesn’t know what he’s talking about”. “No wonder Germany is doing so badly, both economically and in other aspects!”, stated the American president’s publication. American troops carry out a training exercise in Germany Getty Images/via BBC The BBC contacted the German embassy in Washington for comment, but had not received a response by the time this report was published. The US military deployment in Germany is by far the largest in Europe. In Italy, there are around 12,000 American troops, and another 10,000 are in the United Kingdom. Only Japan hosts a military presence. In 2020, during Trump’s first term, a proposal to transfer 12,000 American troops from Germany to other NATO countries in Europe or back to the US was blocked by Congress and was later reversed during Joe Biden’s presidency. Germany is expected to spend €105.8 billion (R$614 billion) on defense in 2027, equivalent to 3.1% of the country’s GDP. Last year, the US decided to reduce its military presence in Romania, as part of Trump’s plan to shift the focus of American military commitment from Europe to the Indo-Pacific region. to pay more attention to their own defense. The decision on Romania was met with disapproval by some of Trump’s Republican colleagues in Congress, and with concern by other Eastern European countries, which are suspicious of Russia’s intentions in the region.

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