Trump says he is weighing reducing American troop presence in Germany after Iran feud

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. World Trump says he is weighing reducing American troop presence in Germany after Iran feud April 30, 2026 1:41 AM ET By The Associated Press FILE - President Donald Trump meets with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the Oval Office at the White House, March 3, 2026, in Washington. Mark Schiefelbein/AP hide caption toggle caption Mark Schiefelbein/AP WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday leveled a new threat against NATO ally Germany, suggesting he could soon reduce the U. military presence there as he continues to feud with Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the U.

S-Israel war against Iran. Trump made the threat after Merz earlier this week said that the U. was being "humiliated" by the Iranian leadership and criticized Washington's lack of strategy in the war.

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Trump has also repeatedly railed against NATO for the alliance's refusal to assist the U. in its two-month-old war. Sponsor Message Middle East conflict Deadlock over Iran's nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz cripples peace efforts "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," Trump said in a social media post.

Merz had said earlier Wednesday that his personal relationship with Trump remained "as good as ever," but he had "had doubts from the very beginning about what was started there with the war in Iran. " During his first term in the White House, Trump also moved to cut U. troops in Germany because he said the country spent too little on defense.

In June 2020, Trump announced he was going to pull out about 9,500 of the roughly 34,500 U. troops who were then stationed in Germany, but the process never actually started. Democratic President Joe Biden formally stopped the planned withdrawal soon after taking office in 2021.

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has several major military facilities in the country, including the headquarters for U. European Command and U. Africa Command, Ramstein Air Base and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the largest American hospital outside the United States.

Merz met with Trump at the White House in March, just days after the U. and Israel began their bombardment of Iran. At the time, Merz told Trump that Germany was eager to work with the U.

on a strategy for when the current Iranian government no longer exists. Merz also expressed concern that an extended conflict could do great damage to the global economy. Sponsor Message Europe Trump will meet German Chancellor Merz at the White House.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.