The Pentagon announced Friday it will withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany over the next six to 12 months, escalating a deepening rift between President Donald Trump and NATO allies over the Iran war.
The news comes alongside Trump informing Congress that Iran hostilities “have been terminated.”
U.S.–Europe Friction Over Iran Strategy
The drawdown, returning U.S. troop levels in Europe to roughly pre-2022 levels, follows sharp exchanges with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who publicly questioned Washington’s exit strategy in ongoing Iran negotiations.
Earlier, Trump posted on Truth Social that his administration was “studying and reviewing” a troop decrease, with a decision expected “over the next short period of time.”
Previous Trump Pushes To Scale Back NATO Presence
This is not the first time Trump has moved in this direction. In 2020, he proposed withdrawing roughly 12,000 U.S. troops from Germany, arguing that Berlin was not meeting its defense spending commitments and calling it “delinquent.” The proposal faced opposition from both parties and was ultimately rolled back by President Joe Biden after he took office.
Previously, Trump has also threatened to withdraw the United States from NATO, calling the alliance a “paper tiger” in criticism of its limited involvement in the Iran war and broader defense burden-sharing issues.
The U.S. president has also squared off with allies over his push to acquire Greenland.
Germany and other European allies were not consulted before the U.S. and Israel launched the war on Iran on Feb. 28, a grievance Chancellor Merz has repeatedly raised in his public criticism of Washington’s strategy.
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