Pentagon is pulling 5,000 troops from Germany after chancellor's Iran war criticism
The Pentagon is withdrawing approximately 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany in response to criticism from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the U.S. and Israel-led war with Iran. The move, which will take place over the next six to twelve months, includes a brigade combat team but excludes major medical facilities like Landstuhl. The decision reflects both President Donald Trump's frustration with European allies and broader strategic considerations about force posture in Europe.
- ▪The troop withdrawal is a direct response to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's public criticism of the U.S. war strategy against Iran.
- ▪Pentagon officials stated the withdrawal will not affect major medical support bases such as Landstuhl, which treats U.S. casualties from the Iran conflict.
- ▪President Trump has long criticized NATO allies for not contributing enough, and previously attempted a large-scale troop drawdown from Germany during his first term.
- ▪The U.S. maintains around 35,000 troops in Germany, the largest contingent in Europe, supporting critical logistics, training, and medical operations.
- ▪Senior Pentagon officials have expressed interest in shifting military focus from Europe and the Middle East toward the Indo-Pacific region.
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BREAKING NEWSMay. 1, 2026, 10:20 PM UTCNational SecurityNational SecurityTrump administration is pulling 5,000 troops from GermanyPresident Donald Trump threatened to do so earlier this week, following criticism by the German chancellor over the U.S. and Israel-led war with Iran. Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin last year. Sean Gallup / Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleBy Gordon Lubold and Courtney KubeWASHINGTON — The U.S. is withdrawing approximately 5,000 troops from Germany, Pentagon officials said Friday, after President Donald Trump was angered by criticism from the German chancellor over the war with Iran.
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