The Pentagon has announced plans to cut 5,000 US troops stationed in Germany, drawing sharp criticism from two senior Republican lawmakers who chair the Senate and House armed services committees. The decision comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Berlin over German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's comments about US diplomatic strategy regarding Iran.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said on Friday that the move followed a thorough review and recognised "theater requirements and conditions on the ground." President Donald Trump said Saturday that further cuts could take place, without providing details. The US currently maintains more than 36,000 active duty troops in Germany—its largest military presence in Europe, compared with about 12,000 in Italy and 10,000 in the UK.
What the Left Is Saying
Representative Adam Smith of Washington, the senior Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, called the decision "not grounded in any coherent US national security policy, strategy, or even analysis." He said the withdrawal appeared to stem from "the hurt feelings of a president who is seeking political vengeance" following Chancellor Merz's comments about US negotiators being "humiliated" by Iran.
Smith's assessment reflects broader concerns among Democrats that the troop reduction undermines NATO cohesion at a critical moment. The decision follows last year's reduction in US troops in Romania, part of Trump's stated plan to shift military focus from Europe toward the Indo-Pacific region.
What the Right Is Saying
Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi, chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Representative Mike Rogers of Alabama, chair of the House Armed Services Committee, issued a joint statement expressing "very concerned" views about withdrawing a US brigade from Germany as European allies increase defence spending toward NATO's 2% GDP target.
"Prematurely reducing America's forward presence in Europe before those capabilities are fully realised risks undermining deterrence and sending the wrong signal to Vladimir Putin," the two Republicans said. They argued that rather than withdrawing forces, the troops should be repositioned further east within Europe to strengthen NATO's eastern flank against potential Russian aggression.
Representative Clay Higgins of Louisiana, a Republican on the Armed Services Committee, offered a different perspective, appearing to support the administration's move while directing criticism at perceived congressional inefficiency. "Pulling 5K American troops from the arrogant Germans. Maybe we should send them the Senate," he posted on X. "Better match, and western Europe would be so well protected by the League of the Royal Filibuster."
What the Numbers Show
Germany is projected to spend €105.8 billion (£91 billion) on defence in 2027, representing approximately 3.1% of GDP when accounting for additional defence-related funding including military aid to Ukraine. This marks a significant increase from previous years, when Germany faced repeated criticism from Trump for falling short of NATO's 2% spending target.
NATO allies agreed at last year's summit in The Hague to invest 5% of GDP in defence—a commitment that Secretary-General Mark Rutte has said demonstrates European willingness to shoulder more security responsibility. The US troop withdrawal announcement comes as Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that "the greatest threat to the transatlantic community is not its external enemies, but the ongoing disintegration of our alliance."
Germany's current military spending follows years of pressure from Washington during both the Trump and Biden administrations for European allies to meet their defence commitments. The country now ranks among NATO's higher spenders as a percentage of economic output.
The withdrawal is expected to be completed over six to twelve months, according to Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell. Trump has also suggested pulling US troops from Italy and Spain, though no formal announcements have been made regarding additional European basing changes.
The Bottom Line
NATO is seeking clarification from Washington about the decision. Alliance spokesperson Allison Hart said on X that NATO is "working with the US to understand the details" while noting the withdrawal "underscores the need for Europe to continue to invest more in defence and take on a greater share of the responsibility for our shared security."
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius told DPA news agency that American military presence in Europe, particularly Germany, serves both German and US interests. The statement came as Trump accused Merz of suggesting Iran should possess nuclear weapons—a charge the chancellor's office has denied.
The troop reduction represents a significant shift in US-European security relations at a time when European nations are increasing their own defence investments. What happens next will likely depend on whether additional cuts materialise and how European allies respond to fill any gaps in NATO's eastern deterrence posture.