Hegseth pulls 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany amid Trump tiff with chancellor

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Friday ordered the withdrawal of about 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany, days after the German chancellor criticized U.S. strategy in the war in Iran. The move follows Wednesday’s announcement from President Trump on Truth Social that the White House would be “studying and reviewing” a possible reduction in U.S. troop strength “over the next short period of time.” “This decision follows a thorough review of the Department’s force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground,” chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement to The Washington Times. A standard infantry brigade has about 3,000 to 5,000 personnel. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Thursday, April 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth testifies … more > Pentagon officials said the troop pullout should be completed within six months to a year. There are about 35,000 U.S. active duty military personnel based in Germany, the largest U.S. troop presence in Europe. Major hubs for American service members include Ramstein Air Base and the Grafenwoehr Training Area. While President Trump has often called