US President Donald Trump has threatened to reduce American troop levels in Germany, intensifying a public rift with Chancellor Friedrich Merz over Washington's handling of the war against Iran. In a social media post on Wednesday, Trump said the United States was “studying and reviewing the possible reduction of Troops in Germany,” with a decision expected soon.
The threat targets one of the most significant American military footprints in Europe. The US maintains major installations in Germany, including the headquarters for US European Command and US Africa Command at Stuttgart, Ramstein Air Base in Rhineland-Palatinate, and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center—the largest American hospital outside the United States. Any drawdown would affect roughly 35,000 US service members currently stationed in the country.
Merz's Criticism of US Iran Strategy
The dispute stems from Merz's remarks earlier this week, in which he said Washington was being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership and criticized the lack of a coherent US strategy in the conflict. The war, which began on 28 February with joint US-Israeli bombardments, has now entered its third month with no ceasefire in sight.
Merz met Trump at the White House in early March, just days after the bombing started. At that meeting, the German chancellor expressed willingness to cooperate on a post-war plan for Iran but also voiced concerns about the economic fallout. Those fears have materialized: the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of the global oil supply once flowed, has been effectively closed since the conflict began, driving up energy costs across Europe.
“We are suffering considerably in Germany and in Europe from the consequences of, for example, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” Merz said on Wednesday, hours before Trump's social media post. “And in that regard, I urge that this conflict be resolved.”
Germany, like many European Union member states, has seen energy costs drive inflation higher, adding pressure on the European Central Bank as it considers its next rate decision.
A Recurring Threat
This is not the first time Trump has floated a reduction of US forces in Germany. During his first term, he announced in June 2020 a plan to withdraw about 9,500 of the roughly 34,500 troops then stationed there, arguing that Berlin was spending too little on defense. That withdrawal never materialized; President Joe Biden formally halted the process shortly after taking office in 2021.
The current threat comes amid broader tensions between Trump and NATO. The US has pressed allies to increase defense spending and has been frustrated by the alliance's refusal to join the war effort against Iran. Trump has also clashed with other European leaders over the conflict, though he recently told King Charles III that there are “no closer friends” than the UK.
Despite the public spat, Merz insisted on Wednesday that his personal relationship with Trump remained “as good as ever.” He added that his government was “on good speaking terms” with the Trump administration. Yet the chancellor also admitted he “had doubts from the very beginning about what was started there with the war in Iran.”
The standoff underscores the fragile state of transatlantic relations as the Iran war disrupts global trade and energy markets. For Germany, a reduction in US troops would not only affect military cooperation but also signal a deeper erosion of trust between Berlin and Washington—a development that could reshape European security architecture.
