On Friday, May 1, 2026, Senior Advisor and Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, and chief Pentagon spokesman, Sean Parnell announced that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump had decided to withdraw around 5,000 troops from the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Paratroopers of the U.S. Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade and soldiers of the Royal Netherlands Army’s 411th Armored Engineer Regiment at the Grafenwöhr Training Area in Bavaria / Photo: Visual Information Specialist Markus Rauchenberger
“This decision follows a thorough review of the Department’s force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground. We expect the withdrawal to be completed over the next six to 12 months,” chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement.
For now, it is not known which units of the U.S. armed forces will be affected by the personnel reduction. On Wednesday, April 29, President Donald Trump said that a review of options regarding a possible reduction of the military presence in Germany was under way. Trump’s statement on the Truth Social social media platform came after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said earlier in the week that the United States was being humiliated by Iran during the protracted war in the Middle East. This triggered tirades by the U.S. president on social media, in which he suggested that the Chancellor would do better to focus on the Russo-Ukrainian War and that, in his view, Berlin was not opposed to Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) April 29, 2026
Currently, 36,400 U.S. troops are stationed in Germany, mainly from the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force (USAF). This is the largest contingent in Europe, where more than 70,000 U.S. personnel are permanently stationed, a number that rises to around 80,000–100,000 with rotational deployments during various exercises, following decisions taken by former President Joe Biden after the outbreak of the full-scale Russo-Ukrainian War.
According to sources cited by CBS News and The Wall Street Journal, the move is expected to affect one Brigade Combat Team in Germany and result in the cancellation of the planned deployment of the 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force, equipped with a battery of the Typhon launcher system as well as mobile launchers for Dark Eagle hypersonic missiles, agreed on July 11, 2024, during the NATO Summit in Washington.
On Thursday, April 30 this year, speaking to journalists in the Oval Office, President Trump threatened that he was also considering withdrawing forces from Spain and Italy, following earlier threats to suspend Spain’s membership in NATO. In recent weeks, the U.S. leader himself had declared that, in connection with Europe’s stance toward the conflict with Iran, the United States was considering withdrawing from NATO. Reports have now emerged that Washington is considering “punishing” the United Kingdom by backing Argentina over the Falkland Islands, after Vice President Victoria Villarruel suggested on April 28 that the Malvinas are today more Argentine than ever and that the English should leave.
It is worth recalling that toward the end of his first term, in mid-2020, Trump wanted to withdraw 12,000 troops from Germany over what he saw as Berlin’s insufficient defense spending. However, this was blocked by Congress, and President Joe Biden later reaffirmed and increased U.S. engagement in Europe.
Another attempt took place last year, when, in the draft National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2026, the administration requested funding for the withdrawal of some forces from Europe and South Korea. Congress, however, forced through an amendment prohibiting reductions below the threshold of 76,000 troops in Europe and 28,500 in South Korea.
UPDATE
NATO spokesperson Allison Hart published a statement:
We are working with the U.S. to understand the details of their decision on force posture in Germany. This adjustment underscores the need for Europe to continue to invest more in defence and take on a greater share of the responsibility for our shared security – where we’re already seeing progress since Allies agreed to invest 5% of GDP at the NATO Summit in The Hague last year. We remain confident in our ability to provide for our deterrence and defence as this shift towards a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO continues.
We are working with the U.S. to understand the details of their decision on force posture in Germany. This adjustment underscores the need for Europe to continue to invest more in defence and take on a greater share of the responsibility for our shared security – where we’re…
— NATO Spokesperson (@NATOpress) May 2, 2026
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk responded to the U.S. announcement:
“The greatest threat to the transatlantic community are not its external enemies, but the ongoing disintegration of our alliance. We must all do what it takes to reverse this disastrous trend.”
The greatest threat to the transatlantic community are not its external enemies, but the ongoing disintegration of our alliance. We must all do what it takes to reverse this disastrous trend.
— Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) May 2, 2026
Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz:
“The strength of the Alliance stems not only from operational capabilities, but from the unity, cooperation, joint decisions, and mutual responsibility of its member states. Today, this unity needs to be strengthened, and Poland, we, can play a key role in strengthening NATO unity.
One thing is paramount: credibility. The Alliance works well only as a whole, which is why it must remain strong, cohesive, and ready to respond whenever needed.
I remain in constant contact with the American side and with our E5 allies.”
Siła Sojuszu nie wynika tylko ze zdolności operacyjnych ale z jedności, współpracy, wspólnych decyzji i wzajemnej odpowiedzialności państw członkowskich. Dziś ta jedność wymaga wzmocnienia i Polska, my możemy odegrać kluczową rolę we wzmacnianiu jedności @NATO
Najważniejsze jest…
— Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz (@KosiniakKamysz) May 2, 2026
UPDATE
“We’re going to cut way down, and we’re cutting a lot further than 5,000,” – said president Donald Trump while speaking with journalists at the Palm Beach airport before flying to Miami.
REPORTER: “Why is the US removing troops from Germany?”
PRESIDENT TRUMP: “We’re going to cut way down, and we’re cutting a lot further than 5,000.” pic.twitter.com/7PK9g1Bgax
— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 2, 2026
UPDATE
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz:
“The United States is and will remain Germany‘s most important partner in the North Atlantic Alliance. We share a common goal: Iran must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons.”
The United States is and will remain Germany‘s most important partner in the North Atlantic Alliance. We share a common goal: Iran must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons.
— Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz (@bundeskanzler) May 3, 2026