President Donald Trump has doubled down on Washington's decision to withdraw 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany, as a rift in transatlantic ties deepens over the Middle East war.
The Pentagon announced the 5,000-troop reduction on Friday, but Trump told reporters on May 2 "we're going to cut way down, and we're cutting a lot further than 5,000." He did not elaborate.
The move follows a spat between Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said last week that Iran was "humiliating" Washington at the negotiating table.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said on May 1 the withdrawal was expected "to be completed over the next six to twelve months."
NATO said it was "working with the U.S. to understand the details of their decision on force posture in Germany."
"This adjustment underscores the need for Europe to continue to invest more in defense and take on a greater share of the responsibility for our shared security," NATO spokeswoman Allison Hart wrote on X.
There were 36,436 active-duty U.S. troops in NATO ally Germany as of Dec. 31, 2025, compared to 12,662 in Italy and 3,814 in Spain.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on May 2 the U.S. troop withdrawal "from Europe and also from Germany was to be expected."
It also came as Trump announced that tariffs on cars and trucks from the European Union would jump from 15 percent to 25 percent next week, accusing the bloc of failing to comply with a trade deal signed last summer.
The decision to reduce the number of troops in Germany is being met with skepticism by top Republican lawmakers who oversee U.S. military policy.
In a joint statement, Senator Roger Wicker and Representative Mike Rogers, chairs of the Armed Services Committees in their respective chambers, warned that the move risks "sending the wrong signal to Vladimir Putin."
Even though European allies are boosting defense spending, "translating that investment into the military capability needed to assume primary responsibility for conventional deterrence will take time," they said.
The duo noted that Germany had heeded Trump's calls for greater spending on defense and that it had allowed American planes to use German bases and airspace during the ongoing conflict with Iran.
Trump has threatened to slash U.S. troop numbers in Germany and other European allies during both his White House terms, saying he wants Europe to take on greater responsibility for its defense rather than depending on Washington.
He now appears determined to punish allies who have failed to back the Middle East war or contribute to a peacekeeping force in the crucial Strait of Hormuz waterway, which Tehran's forces have effectively closed.
Trump said on April 30 he might pull U.S. troops from Italy and Spain due to their opposition to the Iran war.
"Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible, absolutely horrible," he told reporters.
"Yeah, probably, I probably will. Why shouldn't I?" Trump said.
