US-Germany tensions rise over troop withdrawal
- By Thetripurapost Desk, Berlin
- May 02, 2026
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The United States has decided to withdraw around 5,000 troops from Germany over the next six to 12 months, according to the US Department of Defense. The move comes amid rising tensions between US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the Iran conflict and NATO policies.
The latest friction began after Merz criticized Washington’s handling of the Iran issue at a public event last month. He claimed the US lacked a clear strategy to end the conflict and accused Washington of repeatedly engaging in unsuccessful negotiations with Islamabad while failing to secure results with Iran. According to Merz, the situation had embarrassed the US diplomatically.
Trump reacted sharply to the remarks, accusing the German Chancellor of misunderstanding the threat posed by Iran. He claimed Merz was “doing a terrible job” and suggested the German leader was soft on Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
According to reports, more than 36,000 American troops were stationed in Germany as of December, making it the second-largest US troop deployment abroad after Japan, where around 55,000 troops are based. The US also maintains roughly 12,000 troops in Italy and 10,000 in United Kingdom.
US military bases in Germany have long served as a central pillar of America’s strategic presence in Europe. However, disagreements between Washington and European allies over Iran have widened in recent months, with several European nations reportedly unwilling to support Trump’s aggressive stance against Tehran. Trump has criticized European allies for failing to stand firmly with the US during the crisis.
The US President has also hinted at possible troop reductions in Italy and Spain, arguing that some NATO allies are not contributing enough to support American strategic objectives.
This is not the first time Trump has pushed for troop cuts in Germany. During his earlier term, he proposed withdrawing nearly 12,000 troops after accusing Germany of failing to meet NATO’s defence spending target of 2 percent of GDP. That plan was later halted due to opposition in the US Congress and logistical complications. Former President Joe Biden officially scrapped the proposal in 2021.
Strategic analysts believe Trump’s broader objective is to shift American military resources away from Europe and toward the Asia-Pacific region to counter the growing influence of China.
The American military presence in Germany dates back to 1945 following the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. Initially, about 1.6 million US troops were stationed there as part of the occupation and denazification process. With the onset of the Cold War, Germany became a key frontline state against the Soviet Union, and US bases evolved into permanent NATO installations after the alliance was formed in 1949.
During the Cold War, the US operated around 50 major military bases and more than 800 smaller facilities in Germany, with over 250,000 American troops deployed at one point. Although troop numbers declined sharply after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Germany remains a major hub for US military operations in Europe.
Currently, around 68,000 US troops are stationed across Europe, with more than half located in Germany. Key installations include Ramstein Air Base, the main US Air Force base in Europe, and the US European and African Command headquarters in Stuttgart.
Experts say these bases now function not only as deterrents against Russia but also as crucial logistics and operational hubs supporting US missions in regions such as the Middle East and Africa. Operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and more recently against Iran have all relied heavily on infrastructure based in Germany.
Security analysts warn that a major troop withdrawal could weaken NATO unity at a time of increasing global instability and may signal reduced American commitment to European security. Critics in the US Congress have also opposed the move, arguing that it could damage long-term relations with allies and reduce America’s strategic influence in Europe.
US Senator Jack Reed criticized the proposal, saying American commitments to allies should not depend on the political mood of the president. Defence expert Bradley Bowman also warned that the US military presence in Germany remains vital for rapid deployment capabilities, intelligence operations and strategic logistics across Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East and Africa.