Pentagon cites European allies' unwillingness to lead NATO; German officials describe move as anticipated and call for increased European defense spending.
1:51 PM
The United States will withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany over the next six to 12 months, the Pentagon announced Friday. The redeployment was ordered by President Donald Trump amid tensions with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
A senior Defense Department official said the withdrawal reflects Europe's unwillingness to take on a leading role in the North Atlantic Alliance. The official characterized the move as consistent with the administration's intention to shift focus from Europe to the Western Hemisphere and the Indo-Pacific region.
The official called Merz's recent criticism of the US military operation against Iran "inappropriate and unhelpful." Merz had said on Monday that the US was being "humiliated" by Iranian leaders in ongoing negotiations. The Pentagon official stated: "We've urged them to take a practical, businesslike approach to building a Europe-led NATO. They didn't take that advice, and this is the result."
The withdrawal will affect an army brigade combat team already deployed in Germany. The US currently maintains more than 36,000 active duty troops in the country, making it by far the largest American military deployment in Europe.
The German government sought to downplay the severity of the decision. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius told the DPA news agency that the withdrawal was "foreseeable." He emphasized that "the presence of American soldiers in Europe, and particularly in Germany, is in our interest and in the interest of the US."
German officials described the redeployment as a reminder of Europe's need to invest in its own defence capabilities. The government framed the announcement as anticipated rather than a sudden policy shift.
NATO is seeking clarification from Washington on the decision. NATO spokeswoman Allison Hart said the alliance was "working with the US to understand the details of their decision." The military organization stated it is seeking to "understand the details" of the US withdrawal plan.
The announcement comes as tensions between Trump and Merz have escalated over US foreign policy in the Middle East. Merz's public criticism of American handling of negotiations with Iran prompted the Pentagon's characterization of his remarks as unhelpful to the alliance.
President Trump said his administration is studying a possible reduction of troops deployed in Germany, citing an ongoing dispute with NATO allies.
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