WASHINGTON — The United States is withdrawing 5,000 troops from NATO ally Germany, the Pentagon announced on Friday. The decision comes as disagreements between President Donald Trump and Europe over the Iran war have sharpened, Reuters reported.
Trump threatened to reduce troop levels after an exchange earlier this week with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Merz said the United States was being “humiliated” in discussions over the Iran war and that he did not see a clear exit strategy from Washington.
A senior Pentagon official called Germany’s recent remarks unjustified and unnecessary, saying the president was responding appropriately to such adversarial comments. The Pentagon said the withdrawal will be completed within six to 12 months. About 35,000 active US troops are currently deployed in Germany, the highest in Europe. The move will return US troop levels in Europe to pre-2022 levels. Former President Joe Biden increased troop numbers after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The same official said the Trump administration wants Europe to take primary responsibility for its own security. The decision is seen by many as part of Trump’s pattern of responding harshly when he perceives allies as disloyal. Last week, Reuters reported on an internal Pentagon email outlining various options for punishing NATO allies that have not sufficiently supported the United States in the Iran war. These included suspending Spain from NATO and reconsidering the US position on Britain’s claim to the Falkland Islands.
It is not yet clear whether further troop withdrawals will follow. Trump said on Thursday he was likely considering pulling troops from Italy and Spain as well. Last month, he threatened Spain with a full trade embargo for refusing to allow its bases and airspace to be used for strikes on Iran. The United States has two important military bases in Spain, the Rota naval base and the Moron air base.
Trump has also clashed with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Once a supporter of hers, Trump said Meloni lacked courage and had disappointed the United States. Trump has criticized NATO allies for not sending naval forces to assist in the Strait of Hormuz. The strait, a key global oil transit route, has been largely paralyzed by the Iran conflict.
The Pentagon official said the president has made his frustration clear over allies’ remarks and their failure to help with US operations. Merz said Germany and Europe were not informed in advance when the United States and Israel began strikes on Iran on Feb. 28. He later relayed his concerns directly to Trump. Trump has long sought to reduce the US military presence in Germany.
German military officials said the decision was surprising because they had held constructive talks with the Pentagon the same day. They said Germany had contributed more than other allies in supporting the United States in the Iran war, including granting access to bases and authorizing the use of airspace. Germany also hosts a major US military hospital at Landstuhl. The German government has approved plans to increase defense spending in the 2027 budget.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report