The Brief
The U.S. plans to withdraw about 5,000 troops (roughly 14% of its 36,000 personnel) from Germany within 6–12 months following a Pentagon review of military needs in Europe.
Officials say the troops primarily serve broader U.S. strategic interests, such as global power projection, rather than Germany’s direct defense.
WASHINGTON – The United States will withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany in the next 6–12 months, the Pentagon confirmed on Friday.
US to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany
What they’re saying
Pentagon spokesperson 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 number of troops leaving Germany would be 14% of the 36,000 American service members stationed there. That is more than any other European country, according to the Defense Manpower Data Center.
Friedrich Merz, Germany’s chancellor, left, and US President Donald Trump during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Credit: Samuel Corum/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Nico Lange from the Center of European Policy Analysis told The Associated Press earlier this week that they primarily serve U.S. interests, including “the projection of American power globally,” rather than helping with the defense of Germany.
Trump threatened to withdraw some troops earlier this week
The backstory
In a Truth Social post Wednesday afternoon, President Donald Trump said the U.S. was “studying and reviewing the possible reduction of Troops in Germany.”
He said a determination would be made “over the next short period of time.”
Trump had threatened to withdraw some troops from the NATO ally earlier this week as he continues to feud with Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the U.S-Israel war against Iran. Merz said the U.S. was being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership and criticized Washington’s lack of strategy in the war.
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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.S. 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.
Big picture view
The U.S. has several major military facilities in Germany, including the headquarters for U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command, Ramstein Air Base and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the largest American hospital outside the United States.
This is a developing story. Check back for more updates.
The Source
This story was reported from Los Angeles. The Associated Press, FOX News contributed.