Donald Trump kept his word and confirmed that his country will withdraw at least 5,000 of its soldiers from Germany, just a few days after he clashed with the German chancellor over differences over the war in the Middle East. Although foreseeable, the measure brings to light transatlantic cracks and pressures European leaders to rethink their dependence on security.

First modification: 05/03/2026 - 05:07 Last modification: 05/05/2026 - 19:18

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A movement that, although symbolic, reveals the growing fissures in the relationship between the United States and Europe.

Donald Trump's administration announced that it will withdraw at least 5,000 troops from Germany in the next six to 12 months, just days after the US president clashed with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the war in the Middle East.

Trump had threatened earlier this week to withdraw some troops from German bases after Merz said Washington was being “humiliated” by the leadership of the Islamic Republic of Iran and criticized US military strategy in the war.

In conversation with 'NTV', military expert Ralph Thiele stated that the Republican president "personifies" in the German chancellor a decision that he had already made and makes it look like a "punishment."

This is what Trump's expected—albeit gestural—measure against the European bloc reveals.

Germany minimizes the impact

Berlin was quick to downplay the “foreseeable” withdrawal, in the words of German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.

The official stressed that it was a movement that could be anticipated given the US Government's review of the deployment of its troops in the Old Continent and because Trump had already ordered the withdrawal of 12,000 soldiers from Germany during his first term, despite the opposition of Congress.

Still, beyond the apparent calm of Berlin, the Pentagon's announcement could have been surprising, since both the German head of state, Carsten Breuer, and the Foreign Minister, Johann Wadephul, had returned with a positive impression from their recent trips to the North American power.

However, even Merz himself had highlighted the “invariably good” relations with Trump, after the differences between the two leaders over their positions on the war in the Middle East.

Military cooperation as the anchor of the bilateral relationship

That said, it is important to highlight that Germany is not just any partner of the United States, and the military exchange between both nations has long been one of the strongest points of the bilateral relationship.

The European country is home to multiple US military installations, such as the headquarters of its European and African commands, the Ramstein air base – the largest outside its territory – and a medical center in Landstuhl, which, in fact, treated the wounded from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

And as if that were not enough, there are also US nuclear missiles stationed on German soil.

It is estimated that the number of troops that would leave Germany would represent 14% of the nearly 36,000 US military personnel stationed there.

Pistorius has clarified that military cooperation is of mutual interest, since from these bases both partners work "for peace and security in Europe, for Ukraine and for joint deterrence."

However, the withdrawal in the coming months will directly affect a complete brigade already deployed and a long-range fire battalion that was due to arrive this year, according to the US press.

An obvious setback that could put other strategic exchanges on hold: in 2024, under the Government of then-President Joe Biden, the two countries agreed to deploy conventional American Tomahawk cruise missiles in the Central European country starting in 2026 with a range of up to 2,500 kilometers for deterrence and defense against the Russian threat.

The caution of European leaders towards Trump

Trump has attacked NATO for its refusal to help Washington in the war, with direct attacks against Merz, the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, and the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez.

"Europe has strongly criticized President Trump's positions. So the signal is that the president does not need Europe to approve him (...) These are relations that, objectively, at this moment, tend in opposite directions," Aneta de La Mar Ikonomova, doctor in modern and contemporary history, and professor at the Externado University of Colombia, explains on France 24.

In that sense, the White House partners in the military alliance are preparing for a withdrawal of US troops since the Republican returned to the Presidency, while Washington persists in the idea that Europe must ensure its own security in the future.

Although the context may vary given operations, exercises and troop rotations: between 80,000 and 100,000 US forces are usually stationed on European soil.

In October last year, the Trump Administration confirmed that it would reduce its military presence on NATO's borders with Ukraine. The decision to cut between 1,500 and 3,000 troops was made at short notice and caused particular concern in transatlantic ally Romania, where the military organization operates an air base.

Despite this, for Ed Arnold, a European security expert at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London, European leaders are more concerned about issues such as the US redeployment of Patriot missile systems and munitions.

Europe seeks to defend itself

Although this time it was Berlin's turn, Trump has also threatened to withdraw his soldiers from Spain and Italy, also due to their positions on Iran. So, for German Minister Pistorius, the message is loud and clear.

"Within NATO we must become more European in order to remain transatlantic. In other words: we, Europeans, must assume greater responsibility for our own security," said the official.

Read alsoTrump returns to the charge against NATO: can the allies defend themselves if the US leaves the organization?

A desire shared by the same military organization. Alliance spokesperson Allison Hart specified: "This adjustment highlights the need for Europe to continue investing more in defense and assume a greater share of responsibility for our common security."

For his part, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk criticized the repeated American move by stating that "the greatest threat to the transatlantic community is not its external enemies, but the ongoing disintegration of our alliance."

Fear within the United States

The impact of the decision was not only felt in Europe, but also within the North American power. On the one hand, Democrats rejected the measure and argued that it could benefit Russian President Vladimir Putin and weaken US security interests.

Put another way, the withdrawal "suggests that American commitments to our allies depend on the president's mood," according to Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island.

"The president should immediately stop this reckless action before it causes irreversible consequences for our alliances and long-term national security," said Democrat Reed.

On the other side of the political spectrum, Republicans Roger Wicker (Senator from Mississippi) and Mike Rogers (Representative from Alabama) stated that the withdrawal risked "undermining deterrence and sending the wrong signal to Vladimir Putin."

Thus, despite the president's geopolitical interests, the measure can be a double-edged sword.

Bradley Bowman, a researcher at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said that the US military presence in Germany and other countries in Europe "not only strengthens deterrence against further aggression by the Kremlin, but also facilitates the projection of US military power in the Mediterranean, the Middle East and Africa."

With EFE, AP, Reuters and local media

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