Trump administration pulling 5K troops out of Germany over Iran war criticism

Pentagon officials revealed Friday that 5,000 US troops will be pulled out of Germany amid the rift between Berlin and President Trump over the Iran war. 

Describing recent German rhetoric about the war as “inappropriate ⁠and unhelpful,” a senior Pentagon official told Reuters “the president is rightly reacting to these counterproductive remarks.”

The withdrawal is expected to be completed over the next 6-12 months.

About 35,000 active duty US military personnel are stationed in Germany. 

On Monday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz argued the US had been “humiliated by the Iranian leadership.”

“The Iranians are clearly stronger than expected and the Americans clearly have no truly convincing strategy in the negotiations either,” Merz said.

Meanwhile, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has described the Iran war as a “disastrous mistake,” accusing the US of violating international law.