WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the withdrawal of about 5,000 troops from Germany within the next year, the Pentagon said on Friday, in the latest spat with a European leader over the Middle East war.
The announcement came after President Donald Trump threatened earlier this week to remove troops from NATO ally Germany amid a row with its chancellor, Friedrich Merz, who said Monday that Iran was “humiliating” Washington at the negotiating table.
“We expect the withdrawal to be completed over the next six to twelve months,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement.
“This 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,” Parnell added.
Trump said on Tuesday that Merz “thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!”
On Wednesday, Trump said Washington was “studying and reviewing the possible reduction” of US troops in Germany, and that he would decide in a “short period of time.”
During both of his terms in office, Trump has made a number of threats to slash US troop numbers in Germany and other European allies, saying he wants Europe to take on greater responsibility for its defense rather than depending on Washington.
‘Why shouldn’t I?’
Trump has faced intense political pressure to end the war against Iran, which is unpopular even with much of his base, having increased costs for American consumers and unnerved US allies.
During a fiery exchange in Congress Thursday, Hegseth was asked about the cost of 60 days of conflict and replied that it was estimated at less than $25 billion so far.
Trump now appears determined to punish allies who have failed to back the war or contribute to a peacekeeping force in the crucial Strait of Hormuz waterway, which Tehran’s forces have effectively closed.
On Thursday, Trump said he may pull US troops from Italy and Spain due to their opposition to the war, telling reporters in the Oval Office: “Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible, absolutely horrible.”
“Yeah, probably, I probably will. Why shouldn’t I?” Trump said.
As of December 31, 2025, there were 12,662 active-duty US troops in Italy and 3,814 in Spain. In Germany, there were 36,436.
Speaking during a visit to Morocco, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Thursday that Germany was “prepared” for a reduction in US troops and was “discussing it closely and in a spirit of trust in all NATO bodies.”
While saying he was “relaxed” about the idea of fewer US troops in Germany, Wadephul said that large American bases in Germany are “not up for discussion at all.”
He said for example that the Ramstein Air Base had “an irreplaceable function for the United States and for us alike.”
Ukraine support
The EU said Thursday that the deployment of US troops in Europe was in Washington’s interest, and that the United States was “a vital partner in contributing to Europe’s security and defense.”
Trump meanwhile took aim at Merz again, telling him to focus on ending the Ukraine war instead of “interfering” on Iran.
European powers have been on alert since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, and a spate of drone incursions in the last year — as well as US promises to move away from defending the continent — have pushed the issue to the top of the agenda.
Merz has made national security a priority, announcing unprecedented investments in an army that has been underfunded and under-equipped for decades.
He has also reaffirmed support for Ukraine, for whom Germany has been the second-largest individual supplier of aid after the US.
Nearing a year in office, Merz’s popularity has sunk to new depths, and in a recent poll the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) emerged as the most popular party in Germany.
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