U.S. to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany in next 6-12 months

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany in next 6-12 months May 2, 2026 1:33 AM ET By The Associated Press President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a charter school in The Villages, Fla. , Friday, May 1, 2026. Matt Rourke/AP hide caption toggle caption Matt Rourke/AP WASHINGTON — The United States will withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany in the next six to 12 months, the Pentagon said Friday, fulfilling President Donald Trump's threat as he clashes with the German leader over the U.

World Trump lashes out at NATO after countries decline to help in Iran Trump had threatened to withdraw some troops from the NATO ally earlier this week after Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the U. was being "humiliated" by the Iranian leadership and criticized Washington's lack of strategy in the war. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement that the "decision follows a thorough review of the Department's force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground.

The Details

" Germany hosts several U. military facilities, including the headquarters of its European and Africa commands, Ramstein Air Base and a medical center in Landstuhl, where casualties from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were treated. nuclear missiles are also stationed in the country.

Sponsor Message The number of troops leaving Germany would be 14% of the 36,000 American service members stationed there. News of the troop withdrawal drew swift pushback from Democrats in Congress as well as a hawkish Washington think tank. They said the move will benefit Russian President Vladimir Putin and weaken U.

The withdrawal "suggests American commitments to our allies are dependent on the president's mood," said Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee. "The president should immediately cease this reckless action before he causes irreversible consequences for our alliances and long-term national security," Reed said.

What Experts Say

Bradley Bowman, a scholar at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the U. military's presence in Germany and elsewhere in Europe "not only strengthens deterrence against additional Kremlin aggression but also facilitates the projection of American military power into the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Africa. " Trump ignored questions from reporters about the withdrawal on Friday as he boarded Air Force One in Ocala, Florida, following a rally to tout his economic agenda.

Trump made a similar threat in his first term, saying he would pull about 9,500 of the roughly 34,500 U. troops who were then stationed in Germany, but he didn't start the process and Democratic President Joe Biden formally stopped the planned withdrawal soon after taking office in 2021. Sponsor Message The mercurial U.

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