US Announces Troop Withdrawal from Germany, Raising Concerns in Europe

The United States has announced plans to withdraw around 5,000 troops from Germany, prompting calls for Europe to strengthen its own defense capabilities. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Europe should increase its focus on security in response to the move.

However, two senior Republican lawmakers expressed concern over the decision, arguing that U.S. troops should remain in Europe. Germany hosts the largest U.S. military presence in the region, and the Pentagon announced the troop reduction on Friday amid ongoing tensions between the United States and Europe over issues including Iran and trade tariffs.

Speaking to reporters in Florida, President Donald Trump confirmed the plan, saying, “We are reducing significantly. More than 5,000 troops will be withdrawn.”

As part of the decision, a plan initiated during the administration of Joe Biden to deploy a U.S. battalion equipped with long-range Tomahawk missiles in Germany has also been scrapped. Berlin had strongly supported the deployment as a deterrent against Russia.

Republican Senator Roger Wicker and Representative Mike Rogers, who chair the Senate and House Armed Services Committees respectively, said in a joint statement that they were “deeply concerned” about the withdrawal. They suggested that instead of pulling troops out of Europe, the U.S. should consider repositioning them to Eastern Europe.

They warned that reducing the U.S. forward presence before full operational readiness could weaken deterrence and send the wrong signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Pistorius noted that a partial withdrawal had been expected and would affect a portion of the roughly 40,000 U.S. troops currently stationed in Germany. He emphasized that European nations must take greater responsibility for their own security, adding that Germany is moving in the right direction by expanding its military, accelerating defense procurement, and building infrastructure.

President Trump has long called for reducing U.S. troop presence in Germany and has repeatedly urged Europe to take more responsibility for its defense. His stance intensified following recent disagreements with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over U.S. strategy in the Middle East.

According to the Pentagon, the withdrawal could be completed within the next 6 to 12 months. However, it remains unclear which bases will be affected or whether the troops will return to the United States or be redeployed elsewhere in Europe.

Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk had previously advocated for stronger U.S. support in NATO’s eastern flank. Expressing concern, he said, “The greatest threat to the transatlantic alliance is not external enemies, but internal divisions. We must do everything possible to stop this destructive trend.”