Trump threatens to withdraw more than 5,000 US troops from Germany

US President Donald Trump announced that the number of American troops in Germany will be reduced by significantly more than 5,000 personnel, according to the White House press pool.

“We are going to cut way down, and we’re cutting a lot further than 5,000,” the US president said during a briefing.

Earlier, media reports suggested that Washington was planning to withdraw around 5,000 troops from Germany.

Following the announced troop reduction, broader tensions in US–Germany relations have been shaped not only by military posture changes but also by disagreements over global security strategy and alliance priorities. 

Tensions have intensified primarily due to disagreements over NATO burden-sharing, with Washington repeatedly pressing European allies—especially Germany—to increase defense spending and take greater responsibility for regional security.

These disputes have been amplified by political disagreements surrounding the US military campaign related to Iran, where Berlin has voiced criticism of Washington’s strategy, further deepening mistrust between the two governments.

At the same time, US policymakers have signaled a broader shift toward reducing military commitments in Europe and redirecting strategic focus toward other regions, a move viewed in Germany as weakening traditional NATO cohesion.

European officials, in response, have increasingly argued that such developments should accelerate the EU’s efforts to build independent defense capabilities, reflecting a growing sense of strategic divergence within the alliance.

By Jeyhun Aghazada