The US is studying and considering the possibility of reducing troops in Germany, and will make a decision in the near future" - President Donald Trump shared on April 29 on the social network Truth Social.
The US military has a very large presence in Germany, originating from the post-World War II and Cold War periods. As of December 2025, more than 36,000 active soldiers have been deployed at bases across Germany, along with nearly 1,500 reservists and 11,500 civilian personnel, according to data from the US Department of Defense.
Only Japan is the only foreign country with more US troops stationed in Germany.
Germany is also home to the headquarters of the European Command and the African Command of the United States. Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany plays an important role in US military operations.
Meanwhile, Europe is facing rising energy prices as conflict with Iran seriously affects oil exports from the Middle East.
Earlier this week, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized the US's actions in the Iran conflict. Mr. Merz said that "the Americans clearly have no strategy" with Iran.
On April 28, Mr. Trump wrote on social media that Mr. Merz "believes that Iran has nuclear weapons is okay" and "don't know what he's saying".
A few hours before Mr. Trump mentioned the possibility of reducing troops in Germany, Mr. Merz shared with the press that he still has a good relationship with the US President, despite public disagreements on Iran's strategy.
President Donald Trump once threatened to withdraw the US from NATO, calling the alliance a "paper tiger" for not participating in the US-Iran conflict. A 2023 law prevents the President from withdrawing the US from NATO without the approval of the country's Congress.
In 2020, the last year of his first term as US President, Mr. Trump announced a plan to withdraw about 12,000 US troops from Germany, after accusing the country of delaying military spending. This plan faced opposition from both parties and was later reversed by President Joe Biden's administration.
Last fall, US officials informed that about 700 US troops deployed in Germany, Romania and Poland would return home. The US Army Command in Europe and Africa said that this move is part of a "calculated process to ensure balanced US military deployment", and "not the US withdrawal from Europe or signs of reduced commitment to NATO".
