Trump Attacks Germany Again-But Would Troop Withdrawal Actually Hurt US?
President Donald Trump launched a fresh verbal attack on Germany’s leader shortly after threatening to reduce the number of American troops on German soil, which a former top general warned could hurt America’s own defense.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz should not interfere with “those that are getting rid of the Iran Nuclear threat, thereby making the World, including Germany, a safer place,” Trump said in a post to his Truth Social platform on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Trump said he was looking at slicing the amount of American troops in Germany, a major NATO player, in response to Merz saying U.S. negotiators were being “humiliated” by top Iranian officials in stalled peace talks.
The more-than-two months of war in the Middle East has divided NATO, most of its member countries balking at becoming directly involved in the U.S. and Israeli war effort, all the while becoming increasingly unnerved by the negative economic impact brought by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Merz, downplaying transatlantic tensions on Wednesday, said his relationship with Trump was “as good as ever,” separately calling for “reliable” ties between the U.S. and other members of the NATO alliance.
The Trump administration has repeatedly told European countries to spend more on their own militaries, threatening to withdraw U.S. troops from Europe so they can be redeployed elsewhere, like in the Indo-Pacific.
U.S. officials have warned China’s ballooning military could try to bring the self-governing island of Taiwan back under Beijing’s control, and U.S. forces in the region are designed in part to deter a Chinese invasion of the island.
How Many US Troops Are in Europe?
In May 2025, the U.S. ambassador to NATO, Matthew Whitaker, said the U.S. would start talking to Europe about reducing American troop presence later in the year.
Whitaker’s remarks came just for before NATO’s annual summit the following month, during which the alliance pledged to spend far more on defense in a move widely seen as placating Trump officials and a bid to keep the U.S. invested in Europe’s security.
Trump said on Wednesday the decision would be made in a “short period of time.”
Just under 40,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Germany, close to half the total number in Europe. Germany has ramped up its production of in-demand military equipment like ammunition, and Merz has pushed for Europe to lean less on the U.S.
But the country hosts the major Ramstein air base-home to NATO’s air and space forces, vital for coordinating activities like air defense operations-and major training sites for multinational troops.
German bases, and other European facilities America uses, are also a springboard for U.S. missions in the Middle East. U.S. casualties from the Iran war have been taken to Germany for treatment.
Reducing Troops in Europe ‘Is Not a Strategy Move’
Any U.S. troop withdrawal from Germany, and from Europe more widely, would likely be very costly for the U.S., particularly if U.S. forces need to build new facilities at home to house these extra personnel.
Trump’s comments are “clearly about retribution” against Merz, and don’t support America’s own best interests, said retired Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, the former commander of U.S. Army Europe.
“This is not a strategy move,” Hodges told Newsweek. “If this continues, we’re only hurting ourselves.”
In December, Congress blocked the U.S. government from taking U.S. troop numbers in Europe below 76,000 for more than 45 days.
Several senior Republicans lobbied against cutting America’s footprint in Europe after reports emerged in March 2025 the Trump administration was considering handing over the position of Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR).
SACEUR is the head of all NATO forces in Europe, a post historically-and currently-held by an American. General Alexus Grynkewich, who took over as SACEUR in July 2025, has said Europe would be able to cope with fewer American soldiers.
It’s not clear whether any U.S. troops redeployed from Germany would be stationed elsewhere in Europe or return to the U.S.
NATO countries in the east, close to Russia, would likely welcome any additional American troops arriving on their soil. Estonia has said it is ready to host more U.S. soldiers if Washington switches up where its personnel is deployed.
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This story was originally published April 30, 2026 at 1:57 PM.