Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell confirmed Friday that the Secretary of War has ordered the withdrawal of approximately 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany. The drawdown is expected to take six to twelve months. The review phase is over. The order is now in motion.
The move follows President Trump’s recent post on Truth Social stating the United States was studying a possible reduction of troops in Germany with a determination pending. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz declared America was being “humiliated” by Iranian leadership and questioned U.S. approaches to Iran negotiations, prompting Trump’s response that Germany’s leader did not understand Iran’s nuclear threat. The Pentagon order represents the next step in this sequence.
Roughly 38,000 U.S. troops are currently stationed in Germany, including headquarters for U.S. European Command at Ramstein Air Base. German installations support American operations across Europe and the Middle East. A reduction of 5,000 would bring the U.S. presence back to approximately pre-2022 levels. The stated reason for the withdrawal is a review of the Department’s force posture in Europe, tied to theater requirements and conditions on the ground.
House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers and Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker released a joint statement expressing concern about the withdrawal’s timing and destination. They argued the troops should be moved east within Europe rather than withdrawn entirely, crediting Germany for increased defense spending and providing access, basing, and overflight for U.S. forces. The chairmen warned that reducing America’s forward presence too early could weaken deterrence against Vladimir Putin and send a harmful signal to adversaries. They urged close coordination with Congress and U.S. allies before major force posture changes in Europe.
The Pentagon order underscores the principle that allied leaders who publicly criticize American diplomacy while U.S. troops remain on their soil must accept consequences. Chancellor Merz’s recent remarks prompted immediate action, demonstrating that words carry strategic weight when military commitments are directly tied to diplomatic conduct.