Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw some US troops from Germany amid an ongoing row with Nato allies. The US president's threat comes after Germany's chancellor, Friedrich Merz, suggested the Trump team is being outplayed in its negotiations with Iran.
Trump's Announcement
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said his administration is “studying and reviewing the possible reduction of troops in Germany, with a determination to be made over the next short period of time.” The US has over 68,000 active-duty military personnel in Europe, with Germany housing the largest contingent—more than 35,000 troops in 2024, according to the Congressional Research Service, though German media puts the number at about 50,000.
Merz's Criticism
On Monday, Friedrich Merz suggested the Trump team was being outplayed in its negotiations with Iran to secure an end to the ongoing war and a reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. “The Iranians are obviously very skilled at negotiating, or rather, very skilful at not negotiating, letting the Americans travel to Islamabad and then leave again without any result,” he said. Merz reiterated his criticisms on Wednesday, stating Europe is “suffering” from the consequences of the closure of the strait.
Trump cancelled a second trip by US negotiators to Islamabad last week. Since then, discussions over Iran’s nuclear programme and the Strait of Hormuz have hit an impasse. Trump accused Merz of thinking it’s “OK for Iran to have a nuclear weapon” and said the chancellor “doesn’t know what he’s talking about!”
Merz's Response
Merz brushed off those comments, saying his relationship with Trump remains “as good as ever.” However, Trump’s threat to withdraw US troops is likely to cause concern in Berlin and across Europe, coming amid heightened tensions between the US and its traditional allies.
Nato Tensions
On 1 April, Trump said he was “absolutely without question” considering withdrawing from Nato because of European allies' failure to take part in the US-Israeli war on Iran and help secure the Strait of Hormuz. Such a move would be catastrophic for European security, but is seen as unlikely due to US legislation passed in 2024 that prevents a president from withdrawing without a two-thirds Senate majority or an act of Congress.
Experts suggest the White House could instead take actions that undermine the alliance but fall short of outright withdrawal, such as reducing US troops in Europe. Trump has continually criticised Nato, accusing members of “ripping off” the US by failing to spend adequately on defence.
Trump’s recent actions—threatening to invade Greenland and calling allies “cowards” for declining to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz—have led experts to characterise this moment as “the worst crisis Nato has ever confronted.” Ivo Daalder, US permanent representative at Nato from 2009 to 2013, said it was “hard to see how any European country will now be able and willing to trust the United States to come to its defence.”
Diplomatic Efforts
Hours before Trump’s post about troop numbers, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, discussing Iran and the importance of securing freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. On Wednesday, Trump said he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin and suggested “a little bit of a ceasefire” in Ukraine.
