President Donald Trump said he plans to cut the number of US troops stationed in Germany “a lot further,” a day after the Defense Department ordered the withdrawal of about 5,000 service members. A Pentagon spokesperson said that pullback would be completed within six to 12 months. The move also cancels a Biden-era plan to station a US battalion in Germany armed with long-range Tomahawk missiles.
The announcement came after a public dispute earlier in the week between Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who had questioned US strategy in the Middle East and said Iran was putting the United States at a disadvantage in negotiations. Trump responded angrily to Merz’s remarks.
Currently, more than 50,000 US service members are based in Germany. US Defense Department figures show roughly 86,000 US soldiers across Europe; Germany hosts more than 36,000 active-duty personnel plus over 11,000 National Guard, reserve soldiers and civilian staff, according to the Defense Manpower Data Center.
Republican and Democratic lawmakers raised concerns. Top Republican chairs of the Senate and House armed services committees, Senator Roger Wicker and Representative Mike Rogers, said they were “very concerned,” warning the decision could undermine deterrence and send the wrong signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin. They urged that any major change to US force posture in Europe be reviewed and coordinated with Congress and called on the Defense Department to consult oversight committees on implications for deterrence and trans-Atlantic security. The lawmakers also noted Germany has been boosting defense spending and providing access to bases and airspace for US operations related to the Iran crisis.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said the partial drawdown had been expected and argued that Europe needs to take on more responsibility for its own security. He said Germany is moving in that direction by expanding its armed forces, accelerating procurement and improving infrastructure.
The US military presence in Germany dates to the end of World War II and peaked during the Cold War. Germany hosts key US facilities, including US European Command in Stuttgart, the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center and Ramstein Air Base, a hub for US operations. US nuclear weapons are also stored in the country. A US defense official told the Associated Press that removing some 5,000 troops is unlikely to significantly affect combat power but that the decision sends a different message about US commitment.
Analysts say the longer-term impact could be significant. It is not yet clear which bases or operations will be affected. Some experts argue the reduction could push Germany to take a stronger role within NATO, but they also warn it creates a sizeable gap that will be hard to fill quickly. Marina Miron of King’s College London said US forces in Germany act as a deterrent, particularly against Russia, and their withdrawal leaves a capability shortfall Germany cannot rapidly replace despite increased funding. Sudha David-Wilp of the German Marshall Fund said the US presence supports US force projection and that scaling back risks straining relations at a time when Germany has been an increasingly reliable partner on challenges in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific.
Edited by: Louis Oelofse