US reviews cutting troop numbers in Germany amid Trump's Berlin feud
By: Holly Ellyatt (CNBC)
Merz won't back down. President Trump really is being humiliated by Iran by every objective measure of humilation.
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
April 30, 2026 --
- The U.S. is "reviewing" whether to cut the number of troops it has stationed in Germany, President Donald Trump said.
- Over 36,000 active-duty U.S. military personnel are in the country, the largest contingent it has in Europe.
- Trump's comments come amid tense relations with his German counterpart, Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Soldiers of the U.S. Army V Corps salute during a color casing ceremony to mark the departure of V Corps headquarters from Europe on May 10, 2012 at the U.S. Army base in Wiesbaden, Germany. Ralph Orlowski | Getty Images News | Getty Images
The U.S. is considering reducing the number of troops it has stationed in Germany, President Donald Trump said Thursday, amid a growing dispute with Berlin over the Iran war.
"The United States is studying and reviewing the possible reduction of Troops in Germany, with a determination to be made over the next short period of time," Trump posted on social media platform Truth Social overnight Thursday.
The U.S. had just over 36,000 active-duty military personnel across a number of significant bases in Germany as of December 2025, according to data from the U.S. Defense Manpower Data Center, representing the largest such contingent in Europe.
Many troops and their families are based at Ramstein Air Base, which serves as a major transportation hub and command center for U.S. military operations in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. A significant number are also based at the Grafenwoehr Training Area, the largest U.S. Army training facility in Europe.
Analysts suggest a withdrawal of troops in Germany would be a logistical headache and ultimately damage U.S. interests.
The president gave no further details on the review, but any move to withdraw forces would be a blow to NATO allies in Europe who value the U.S. presence as a major deterrent against threats like Russia.
Tit for tat
Trump's comments come as relations with his German counterpart, Chancellor Friedrich Merz, appear to have worsened.
The German leader raised Washington's hackles earlier this week when he said the U.S. was being "humiliated" by the Iranian regime as a result of on-off negotiations with White House officials to end the conflict.
Talks appear to have stalled with Trump reportedly rejecting an Iranian offer to reopen the Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. lifted its ongoing blockade of Iranian ports and ended the war, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on Monday.
Germany's leader said Monday that the Iranians appeared to be giving U.S. officials the runaround.
"The Iranians are obviously very skilled at negotiating, or rather, very skillful at not negotiating, letting the Americans travel to Islamabad and then leave again without any result," Merz told university students on Monday.
"An entire nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership, especially by these so-called Revolutionary Guards. And so I hope that this ends as quickly as possible," Merz added, echoing other European leaders who have called for a quick resolution to the conflict which has caused oil prices and energy costs to rocket.
Trump hit back at Merz's remarks, posting on Truth Social that Merz appeared to think it was "OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. He doesn't know what he's talking about!"
"No wonder Germany is doing so poorly, both Economically, and otherwise!" Trump commented.
When asked about his relationship with Trump during a press conference on Wednesday, Merz said the "personal relationship between the American president and myself remains just as good as before."
Be a good human. Grossly derogatory comments, blatantly inflammatory comments, excessive trolling, mean-spirited taunting and insults, scamming, spamming, and off topic comments may be removed in compliance with the site's Terms of Service and the Code of Conduct. The moderators have the final word.
Tags
Who is online
114 visitors
President Trump doesn't have anything left to use as a threat against Europe. Trump has placed himself in a position of weakness needing to consider withdrawing troops from Europe before they are expelled. Trump has shit on his own plate with his calls to annex Greenland. Trump has shit on his own plate by starting a war without consulting allies.
NATO is now prepared to fight against the United States. And Chancellor Merz is one of the most vocal European leaders pushing back against Trump. Trump is running out of plates to shit on.
One can lead, follow or get out of the way. Trump's idea of leading looks too much like getting out of the way which leaves those like China to pick up the slack.
The lesson for Merz is never bite the hand that feeds you.
The lesson for Merz is, don't ever trust Republicans, especially when they're led around by the nose by a liar, convicted felon and known sexual predator.
Merz is not biting hands. Merz is kicking asses. The era of WWII guilt trips is over. Germany is back.
He has no cards to play. He leads a pacifist nation that depends on the US military for protection.
The era of WWII guilt trips is over. Germany is back.
Germany can NEVER be back. Lord Hastings Ismay, NATO’s first Secretary General, said it best when explaining the NATO alliance when it was founded in 1949: The idea is to keep the Americans in, the Russians out and the Germans down. To this day goal has been fulfilled.
Really? Germany has committed to spending 5% of GDP on defense plus additional spending to support Ukraine. Germany has been licensing Ukrainian weapon technology and has been receiving training from Ukrainians. Germany has been pushing hard to create a European nuclear umbrella by essentially paying France and the UK for that security service.
Reporting on DW this morning stated that Merz is preparing for US withdrawals. Merz won't back down.
Why can't Germany have its own nuclear program?
Because they still honor old treaties until otherwise given permission, unlike our Japanese friends who now have two aircraft carriers complete with F35s.
Germany will be back soon enough, probably sooner unless Putin dies soon.
Also, here's the thing. . . our nation is breaking faith with other long-term nation-friends and alliances. Only a fool would sit and around waiting for the invasion that is sure to come. . . or else bend down and kiss Trump's "whatever" to get along with him. . . especially when it will get one nowhere with this president (he still won't properly cover Europe without taking it out of their butts (not literally).
What will be lost? The fact that we lived in a world where not everything needed to be strictly defined. The United States will live to rue the day that its citizens stood by and let Trump and his MAGA supporters steam-roll our international partners simply for transactions-sake!
It is our fault. We thought we could rout the world before it knew what hit it. . . and failed to realize these nations of this world are very old. . .they have seen the highs and lows of our planet through indefinite centuries. . . they will survive. . . what remains to be determined is will the United States?
Or, will we be sorrowful for our 'losses' - once the world takes the measure of what we have changed into and decides to put us in the rear-view mirror.
In this, the United States was the "House" - the leader of the free world and the world came for our light. . . now the light shines dim. . . and the darkness and shadows are once again appearing. . . and how much darker can our nation get?
We are withdrawing 5,000 Army troops to Conus where they will probably be laid off.
The Germans are ordering more tanks and missile systems from Rheinmetal and training more troops to replace the Americans and take their housing.
Trump thinks nothing through.
That's baked into the non-proliferation treaty. If we do away with the non-proliferation treaty then Trump loses all justifications for the war with Iran.
After working "with" NATO on a few combat deployments, that's not the flex people thing it is. There was so much NATO Countries refused to do for various reasons to include not having the right equipment, manpower issues, lack of training, etc..
Have you been following German defense procurement? Germany is moving to reinstitute compulsory military service. Germany has already begun deploying drones for defense. Germany is preparing to engage in asymmetric warfare using the lessons from Ukraine (and now Iran). Germans have declared themselves the eastern front in the defense against Russia.
Procurement is one thing. Actual operations are another. NATO balked at 87% of the combined operations.
The interesting thought process here is this: Trump should be careful of what he wishes for. . .as Iran just might pay for the technology and nuclear weapons it needs from a nuclear country somewhere. . . and if Europe is forced to come out from under the umbrella of U.S protection "services" then those countries may decide they can do bad all by themselves and proliferate! Full independent thinking about issues of war and peace can be a "bitch" when unleased. We will have lost our privilege to say anything about military stockpiling about the up and coming Europe.
With what?
Not for you or I to answer. . . it's the 'Underworld' after all. And different countries have different needs and requests. Countries make their deals long-term surely you know this.