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US President Donald Trump has announced that his administration is studying a possible reduction of US troops in Germany, days after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized Washington's approach to the war in Iran. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said the United States is "studying and reviewing the possible reduction of Troops in Germany, with a determination to be made over the next short period of time."

The announcement comes amid a public war of words between Trump and Merz over the ongoing conflict with Iran. Merz had suggested that the US was being "humiliated" by Iranian negotiators, prompting a sharp rebuke from Trump, who accused the German leader of thinking it is "OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon."

Coverage comparison

The possible troop reduction was reported by multiple outlets, including the BBC, Deutsche Welle, The Guardian, the Jerusalem Post, and TASS. Most coverage framed the announcement as a strain in US-German relations, with the causal attribution pointing to Merz's criticism of the US approach to Iran.

Some outlets provided additional context on the size of the US military presence in Europe. The Guardian reported that the US has almost 85,000 troops stationed in Europe and that Germany houses the largest contingent. The Jerusalem Post cited US Defense Manpower Data Center figures showing just over 68,000 active-duty military personnel in Europe as of December 2025, with more than half—about 36,400—based in Germany. The BBC and Deutsche Welle also reported the figure of more than 36,000 active-duty troops in Germany.

TASS, citing The Daily Telegraph, reported that NATO member states are not discussing the possibility of reducing US troop presence in Germany, and that neither Berlin nor Washington have sent formal signals about such a move. The same report said the North Atlantic Council has held no discussions on the matter.

A separate TASS report quoted Irish economist Philip Pilkington speculating that the Pentagon may have decided to cut troop numbers in Germany after the Russian Defense Ministry unveiled addresses and names of Ukrainian drone-production companies in Europe, including in Germany. Pilkington suggested on X that the timing—"Russia publishes a list of potential targets in Europe. Two weeks later the US announces that it is starting to withdraw troops from Germany"—indicated a clear path. This interpretation is speculative and not corroborated by other reports.

Another TASS report quoted Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic as saying that the US pullout of troops from Germany shows that a "point of no return" has occurred in US-EU relations. Vucic described the decision as "an important political statement" about relations between the two largest Western powers, adding that "interests do not coincide anymore." He predicted a progressive standoff between Germans and Americans and noted potential adverse effects on Serbia's economy, politics, and business.

Key claims

  • Trump announced on Truth Social that the US is studying a possible reduction of troops in Germany, with a determination to be made in the near term.
  • German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized the US approach to the Iran war, saying the US was being "humiliated" by Iran. Merz said, "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."
  • Trump responded by accusing Merz of thinking it is "OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon" and saying the chancellor "doesn't know what he's talking about."
  • The US has more than 36,000 active-duty troops in Germany, according to the US Defense Manpower Data Center, making Germany the largest host of US troops in Europe.
  • The Guardian reported the US has almost 85,000 troops in Europe overall, though the Jerusalem Post, citing the DMDC, put the figure at just over 68,000. Both sources agree Germany hosts the largest contingent.
  • TASS, citing The Daily Telegraph, reported that NATO member states are not discussing the possibility of reducing US troop presence in Germany.
  • TASS reported Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's view that the troop pullout represents a "point of no return" in US-EU relations.

Perspectives

US administration

President Donald Trump frames the possible troop reduction as a review of US force posture, without explaining the reason. He has criticized Germany and other NATO allies for not contributing to securing the Strait of Hormuz and has accused Merz of being soft on Iran's nuclear ambitions.

German government

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has criticized the US approach to Iran, saying the US was being "humiliated" by Iranian negotiators and lacked a clear strategy. However, he has stressed that his personal relationship with Trump remains "as good as ever."

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic

Vucic interprets the US troop pullout as a sign that US-EU relations have reached a "point of no return," with interests no longer aligned. He warns of a progressive standoff between Germans and Americans and potential negative consequences for Serbia.

Economist Philip Pilkington

Pilkington suggests the Pentagon's decision may be linked to Russia's publication of potential targets in Europe, including German cities. He argues the sequence of events indicates a clear path for Europe, though this remains speculative.