Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Saturday that European countries must take greater responsibility for their own security, following plans by the United States to withdraw troops from Germany.
Speaking after the announcement, Pistorius stressed that Germany was “on the right track”, pointing to the expansion of its armed forces, the Bundeswehr, increased and accelerated defence procurement, and the development of military infrastructure.
“It was to be expected that the US would withdraw troops from Europe, including Germany,” he said.
The Pentagon announced on Friday that around 5,000 American troops will be withdrawn from Germany over the course of a year, representing roughly 15% of US forces stationed in the country. The move follows tensions between US President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over remarks concerning the war in Iran.
A US Department of Defense spokesperson, Sean Parnell, said the withdrawal is expected to be completed within six to twelve months. More than 36,000 US troops were stationed in Germany as of the end of 2025, according to official figures.
The announcement came after Trump said earlier in the week that he was considering reducing the US military presence in Germany, a NATO ally, following comments by Merz that drew his criticism.
The German chancellor had said on Monday that the United States “clearly has no strategy” in Iran and that Tehran was “humiliating” the world’s leading power.
Trump responded the following day, saying Merz “doesn’t know what he is talking about” and accusing him of effectively accepting the prospect of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.
On Wednesday, the US president wrote that Washington had begun examining a potential reduction of its military presence in Germany, adding that a decision would be made “very soon”.
The move has drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers in the United States.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen said allies should stand united rather than undermine each other’s security interests “over petty grievances”.
Her colleague Jack Reed urged Trump to reverse the decision, calling it a “serious mistake”.
“Reducing our military presence in Europe at a time when Russian forces continue their assault on Ukraine and harass our NATO allies is an invaluable gift to Vladimir Putin,” Reed said, adding that the move signals US commitments may depend on “the president’s mood”.
Source: cnn.gr