US Plans Troop Withdrawal from Germany Amid Political Dispute
The US Department of Defence has announced plans to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany amid escalating tensions between US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz concerning the conflict with Iran.
This announcement follows closely after Trump publicly criticised Merz, who had stated that the US was "humiliated" by Iranian negotiators.
On Thursday, Trump took to social media to express his disapproval of Merz, stating that the German Chancellor was "doing a terrible job" and faced "problems of all kinds," including issues related to immigration and energy. Trump also indicated potential troop reductions in Italy and Spain.
Germany currently hosts a significant US military presence, with over 36,000 active duty troops stationed at various bases across the country as of December last year.
In an official statement, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed that the withdrawal order was issued by Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth.
"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," he said.
"We expect the withdrawal to be completed over the next six to twelve months."
Trump Criticizes NATO Allies Over Strait of Hormuz Operations
Trump, who has long been critical of the NATO alliance, has expressed frustration with allied nations for their reluctance to participate in efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
When asked on Thursday about the possibility of withdrawing US troops from NATO allies Italy and Spain, Trump responded,
"I probably will - look, why shouldn't I?"
He further criticised these countries, stating,
"Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible,"
adding that both nations had declined involvement in the conflict with Iran.
"In all cases they said, 'I don't want to get involved.'"
Merz Critiques US Strategy on Iran Negotiations
Earlier in the week, Chancellor Merz addressed university students, expressing skepticism about the US approach to the Iran conflict.
"The Americans clearly have no strategy"
he said, adding that he could not discern "what strategic exit" the US might pursue.
"The Iranians are obviously very skilled at negotiating, or rather, very skilful at not negotiating, letting the Americans travel to Islamabad and then leave again without any result,"
Merz remarked, further stating that the "entire nation" was being "humiliated" by the Iranian leadership.
Trump Responds to Merz's Comments on Truth Social
In response to Merz's statements, Trump posted on his platform Truth Social, accusing the German Chancellor of supporting Iran's nuclear ambitions and lacking understanding.
"Merz thought it was 'OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon' and 'doesn't know what he's talking about'."
"No wonder Germany is doing so poorly, both Economically, and otherwise!"
US Military Presence in Europe
The US military presence in Germany remains the largest in Europe, with approximately 36,000 troops stationed there. Italy hosts about 12,000 US troops, while the United Kingdom has around 10,000.
Many US forces in Germany are based at Ramstein Air Base, located near Kaiserslautern in the southwest of the country.
Although Trump has previously proposed reducing US troop levels in Germany, such measures have not yet been implemented.
Japan is the only country hosting a larger US military presence than Germany.
Previous Troop Movement Proposals and Changes in German Defence Spending
In 2020, a plan to relocate 12,000 US troops from Germany to other NATO countries or back to the US was blocked by Congress and later reversed by President Joe Biden.
At that time, Trump accused Germany of being "delinquent" due to its military spending falling short of NATO's target of 2% of GDP.
However, under Chancellor Merz's government, Germany's defence spending has increased significantly.
Germany is projected to allocate €105.8 billion (£91 billion) to defence by 2027, with total defence expenditure expected to reach 3.1% of GDP next year.
US Troop Reduction in Romania and Regional Reactions
Last year, the US decided to reduce its troop presence in Romania as part of Trump's broader strategy to shift military focus from Europe to the Indo-Pacific region.
Romania's defence minister indicated that the decision followed communication from Secretary Hegseth, urging Romania to enhance its own defence capabilities.
The troop reduction decision was met with disapproval from some Republican members of Congress and raised concerns among Eastern European countries wary of Russian influence.
