WASHINGTON, USA — The United States will withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany, Pentagon officials said on Friday, May 1, 2026, a move that followed a public dispute between President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the war with Iran.
The withdrawal will include a brigade combat team and other forces stationed in Germany, officials said.
It is not expected to affect major U.S. medical facilities in the country, including Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, which has treated American service members injured in the conflict.
Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, said the drawdown would take place over the next six to 12 months.
“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 said.
Tensions Over Iran
A senior Pentagon official said the decision was linked to Merz’s criticism of the administration’s handling of the war, as well as Trump’s broader frustration with European allies.
“The Europeans have not stepped up when America needed them,” the official said. “This cannot be a one-way street.”
Merz, speaking to students in Germany this week, criticised Washington’s approach to the conflict.
“The Americans obviously have no strategy,” he said, comparing the situation to earlier U.S. wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. “This situation is, as I said, at least ill-considered and I do not see at the moment what strategic exit the Americans are choosing now.”
Trump responded sharply online, accusing Merz of misunderstanding the threat from Iran and criticising Germany’s economic and political standing.
Merz later told reporters that his personal relationship with Trump remained good.
Germany’s Role in U.S. Military Operations
Germany hosts about 35,000 U.S. troops, the largest American military presence in Europe.
The country is home to major installations including Ramstein Air Base, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Hohenfels training centre, U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command.
German officials have long argued that the American presence benefits both countries by strengthening NATO and supporting U.S. operations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
A spokesperson for the German Embassy in Washington declined to comment on the withdrawal. The White House referred questions to the Pentagon.
A Long-Running Debate
The decision revives a debate from Trump’s first term, when he announced plans to remove thousands of troops from Germany.
That proposal was later halted by President Joe Biden after he took office in 2021.
Pentagon policy officials have pushed for years to shift more U.S. military resources away from Europe and the Middle East, with greater attention on the Indo-Pacific.
One Pentagon official said the new withdrawal would return American troop levels in Europe to their 2022 levels.
It was not immediately clear whether the forces leaving Germany would return to the United States or be reassigned elsewhere.
Wider Pressure on Allies
The move comes as the U.S. and Israel-led war with Iran remains under a temporary ceasefire, with diplomatic negotiations continuing and no final agreement in place. Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz remains unresolved.
Trump has also suggested that U.S. forces could be withdrawn from Italy and Spain, saying those countries had not provided sufficient support.
“Why shouldn’t I?” Trump told reporters on Thursday evening. “Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible, absolutely horrible.”
The planned withdrawal from Germany marks one of the administration’s most significant steps so far in reshaping the American military presence in Europe amid widening disagreements with NATO allies.
