US officials described the withdrawal of troops from Germany as a signal that President Donald Trump is not satisfied with the level of support that European allies have given to the US in the Iran conflict.
Mr. Trump publicly criticized German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and leaders of NATO member countries for not directly participating in the US military campaign against Iran.
The US military has a large presence in Germany since World War II and the Cold War period. As of December last year, more than 36,000 in-service soldiers were stationed at bases across Germany, along with nearly 1,500 reservists and 11,500 civilian personnel.
Some US forces withdrawing from Europe may return to the US and then be deployed abroad, defense officials shared, considering this an effort to focus on the Pentagon's priorities in the US and the Indo-Pacific region.
The withdrawal will not affect transportation or treatment of injured soldiers at the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. This is the largest US hospital abroad and has received treatment for injured US soldiers in Iranian attacks.
Defense officials noted that the withdrawal will affect a combat brigade in Germany, as the number of these units in Europe has increased after the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out. A long-range fire battalion expected to be deployed to Germany this year will also be transferred elsewhere.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the troop withdrawal will take place in the next 6 to 12 months.
This decision was made after careful consideration of the Department's force deployment in Europe and based on the requirements of the battlefield as well as the actual conditions" - Mr. Parnell said.
Since the beginning of this week, Mr. Trump has mentioned the possibility of reducing troops in Germany. The US President once threatened to withdraw from NATO, calling the alliance a "paper tiger" for not participating in the war. However, a 2023 law prevents the president from withdrawing from NATO without Congressional approval.
President Donald Trump once proposed withdrawing thousands of troops from Germany at the end of his first term, but this plan was later cancelled by President Joe Biden.
