President Donald Trump said the U.S. will reduce its military presence in Germany by more than the roughly 5,000 troops the Pentagon announced, signaling a broader pullback of U.S. forces in Europe.
“We’re going to cut way down. And we’re cutting a lot further than 5,000,” Trump told reporters in Florida, expanding on a plan revealed one day earlier.
The Pentagon had confirmed an initial withdrawal of approximately 5,000 troops following what it described as a review of U.S. force posture in Europe. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the drawdown would occur over the next six to twelve months and reflect “theater requirements and conditions on the ground.”
The order was issued by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Germany currently hosts the largest U.S. military footprint in Europe.
Roughly 35,000 to 36,000 American service members are stationed there, out of about 80,000 across the continent. A 5,000-troop reduction would account for around 14% of the U.S. presence in Germany alone.
Major installations include Ramstein Air Base, the Grafenwöhr training area, and facilities in Frankfurt. Reports indicate the initial cuts could involve the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, one of the key permanent combat units based in Germany, along with scrapping plans to deploy additional artillery units equipped with Tomahawk missiles.
Trump’s latest comments suggest the reductions could go significantly further.
The administration has not provided details on how many additional troops could be withdrawn or which units might be affected beyond the initial phase.
The move comes amid ongoing tensions with German leadership.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has criticized aspects of U.S. policy during the Iran conflict, while German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius acknowledged the initial withdrawal and emphasized continued cooperation with the United States.
“We work closely with the Americans… for peace and security in Europe,” Pistorius said, while also stressing that European countries must “take more responsibility for our security.”
The proposed reductions would mark a shift toward pre-2022 force levels.
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the U.S. expanded its military presence in Europe to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank. Rolling back troop levels could signal a recalibration of that posture.
NATO is reviewing the plan.
Alliance officials said they are coordinating with the U.S. to understand the scope and timeline of the withdrawal. The lack of specifics has raised questions among both European allies and U.S. lawmakers.
Some Republicans have expressed concern about reducing troop levels, particularly given ongoing tensions in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Others support the move as part of a broader push for NATO members to increase their own defense spending.
Trump has repeatedly argued that European countries should bear more of the burden for their own security, criticizing long-standing arrangements that place a large share of defense responsibilities on the U.S., per Trending Politics.
A similar effort during his first term aimed to withdraw about 9,500 troops from Germany, though that plan was later reversed before it was implemented.
The Pentagon has not issued additional guidance on the expanded reductions Trump referenced.
For now, the confirmed withdrawal remains at 5,000 troops, with further cuts expected but not yet defined, leaving uncertainty about how far the administration intends to scale back the U.S. military footprint in Europe.
