Pentagon Orders Withdrawal of 5,000 Troops From Germany After Merz Criticizes US Iran War Strategy

The Pentagon announced on May 1, 2026 that the United States will withdraw approximately 5,000 troops from Germany over the next six to twelve months, in a move directly linked to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's public criticism of American strategy in the ongoing Iran war. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the drawdown following what a senior Pentagon official called 'inappropriate and unhelpful' rhetoric from Berlin. The decision marks the largest reduction in US forces in Germany since President Biden's post-Ukraine buildup and deepens a growing rift between Washington and its European NATO allies.

The Details

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed the withdrawal in a statement, citing a completed review of US force posture in Europe. 'We expect the withdrawal to be completed over the next six to twelve months,' Parnell said. 'This decision follows a thorough review of the Department's force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theatre requirements and conditions on the ground.'

The announcement followed public remarks by Chancellor Merz earlier in the week that drew sharp rebukes from the Trump administration. Speaking to university students, Merz described Iran as outmaneuvering American negotiators. '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 said. 'The entire nation was being humiliated by the Iranian leadership.'

A senior Pentagon official, speaking on condition of anonymity, made clear the withdrawal was a direct response to those comments. 'The president is rightly reacting to these counterproductive remarks,' the official told Reuters.

Germany currently hosts approximately 35,000 to 36,000 active-duty US military personnel — the largest US deployment anywhere in Europe and the second-largest globally, behind only Japan, according to BBC reporting. The 5,000 troops being withdrawn represent roughly 14 percent of that total. According to Reuters, the drawdown will include pulling a brigade combat team currently stationed in Germany and cancelling a long-range fires battalion that had been scheduled for deployment there later this year.

The withdrawal will bring US troop levels in Europe back to roughly pre-2022 levels, before Russia's invasion of Ukraine prompted a significant buildup under President Biden, Reuters reported. Trump had threatened the drawdown earlier in the week and also suggested he would likely withdraw troops from Italy and Spain, according to BBC reporting.

Context

The troop withdrawal is the most visible consequence yet of a transatlantic fracture that has been building since the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran on February 28, 2026. The war has severely disrupted global energy markets, with the Strait of Hormuz remaining virtually shut, according to Al Jazeera. European governments, including Germany, have voiced concern over both the military campaign and the pace of diplomacy.

Reuters reported exclusively last week that an internal Pentagon email had outlined options to penalize NATO allies deemed insufficiently supportive of US operations in Iran, including the suspension of Spain from NATO. The troop withdrawal from Germany appears to be the first concrete application of that pressure.

This is not the first time a Trump administration has moved to reduce the US military footprint in Germany. Trump proposed withdrawing approximately 12,000 troops from the country in 2020, but that plan was blocked by Congress and subsequently reversed by President Biden, according to BBC reporting. The current drawdown faces a different political environment, with no congressional action announced to halt it.

Germany, meanwhile, has been increasing its own defense commitments. The German government recently approved key budget targets for 2027 that include defense spending projected at €105.8 billion, or approximately 3.1 percent of GDP, according to Reuters.

What's Next

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius acknowledged the withdrawal was expected, framing it as a prompt for European nations to assume greater responsibility for their own security. 'The presence of American soldiers in Europe, and particularly in Germany, is in our interest and in the interest of the US,' Pistorius said, according to BBC reporting. 'The fact that the US would withdraw troops from Europe and also from Germany was foreseeable.'

Trump has indicated the Germany withdrawal may not be the last. He suggested earlier in the week that he would probably also pull troops from Italy and Spain, according to BBC and Reuters reporting. No specific timelines for those potential drawdowns have been announced.