"We will make significant cuts, more than the 5,000", President Donald Trump told reporters in Florida on 2/5, addressing the decision to withdraw some US forces stationed in Germany, but did not provide a specific number.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated on the same day that the US withdrawal of troops from Europe and Germany was a foreseeable development. "Europe must bear more responsibility for its own security", he said, adding that Germany is on the right track by strengthening its armed forces, accelerating military hardware procurement, and building infrastructure.

NATO announced it is working with the US to understand the withdrawal decision. "This adjustment underscores that Europe needs to continue investing more in defense and take on a greater share of responsibility for our collective security", Allison Hart, NATO spokesperson, posted on X.

President Donald Trump at Palm Beach International Airport in Florida on 2/5. Photo: AP

Trump's decision faces considerable skepticism and concern from within US legislative circles. In a joint statement on 2/5, US Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker and House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, both Republicans, warned that withdrawing troops from Germany risks "sending the wrong signal" to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The lawmakers noted that European allies are increasing defense spending. However, they stressed that transforming these investments into the necessary military capabilities to assume primary responsibility for conventional deterrence will require time. The two lawmakers also noted that Germany has heeded Trump's call for increased defense spending and has allowed US aircraft to use its bases and airspace during the conflict with Iran.

Trump has called for a reduction in military presence in Germany since his first term and consistently urged Europe to take responsibility for defense. However, he escalated his threats earlier this week after an argument with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who suggested the US was "humiliated" by Iran in the Middle East conflict.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell stated the withdrawal plan is expected to be "completed within the next 6-12 months".

US soldiers and equipment at Ramstein Air Base, western Germany, in 2017. Photo: AFP

Germany plays a central role in the US military presence in the region. Data from the US Department of Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) in 12/2025 showed that the US currently has 36,436 military personnel stationed in Germany, the highest among European countries. It hosts the headquarters of the US European Command (USEUCOM), one of the US's leading medical treatment centers, and numerous maintenance facilities and weapons depots for the US Air Force.

"The biggest threat to the transatlantic alliance is not an external enemy, but the ongoing cracks within us. We all must do what is necessary to reverse this dangerous trend", Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X on 2/5.