Washington: U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the withdrawal of about 5,000 American troops from Germany, according to the Pentagon. This announcement comes two days after President Donald Trump mentioned that his administration was considering reducing the number of service members in the allied country.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated that the drawdown is expected to be completed over the next six to 12 months. Currently, the U.S. has approximately 36,000 troops stationed in Germany. Parnell conveyed in a statement that the decision resulted from a comprehensive review of the department's force posture in Europe, taking into account the theater requirements and conditions on the ground. The move follows a period of heightened tensions between Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Earlier this week, during a meeting with students, Chancellor Merz criticized the U.S. approach toward negotiations with Iran, describing the Iranian leadership as "humiliating" the U.S. and suggesting that Washington lacked a convincing strategy to end the Middle East war. In response, Trump took to Truth Social to criticize Merz, accusing him of being indifferent to the prospect of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons and questioning his understanding of the situation.
The withdrawal order is linked to Trump's repeated criticisms of NATO members for their reluctance to provide naval assistance to secure the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway that Iran has effectively blocked with missile and drone strikes. Trump labeled NATO members as "cowards" and warned that the U.S. would remember their hesitation to support the military campaign against Iran.
Furthermore, Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with South Korea, describing the country as "not helpful" to the U.S., given the strategic positioning of American troops near North Korea's nuclear capabilities. The U.S. stations approximately 28,500 troops in South Korea as a deterrence measure against North Korean threats. Despite ongoing efforts to modernize the alliance, a Pentagon official declined to comment on potential changes to the U.S. force posture in South Korea but emphasized the U.S.'s "unwavering" defense commitment to its Asian ally.