US-Germany tensions rise as Iran war drags on

Berlin, Germany – A diplomatic rift between U.S. President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the Iran war has escalated into a broader debate on Europe's transatlantic ties, while Berlin pushes to become the continent's leading military power.

Merz stirred controversy last week by saying Washington had been “humiliated” by failing to reach a deal with Tehran and accusing Trump of having “no strategy.”

The comments ignited a heated discussion that intensified after Trump announced the repositioning of 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany. Media reports say the withdrawal includes a Stryker Brigade stationed in Vilseck, Bavaria – a plan Trump had floated in 2020.

The announcement came as Germany dispatched a minesweeper and a supply ship to the Mediterranean on Monday, heading toward the Strait of Hormuz. While Berlin said the vessels would only take part in clearing the narrow shipping lane after hostilities end, the U.S. has heavily relied on military bases and infrastructure across Germany throughout the Iran campaign.

Merz – a former senior adviser at BlackRock once seen as closely tied to U.S. interests – said the troop move was no surprise. The German Defense Ministry described it as “foreseeable.” Republican lawmakers Roger Wicker and Mike Rogers, chairmen of the U.S. Senate and House Armed Services Committees, expressed “deep concern” over the withdrawal.

The move will bring troop levels back to pre-2022 levels before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, meaning the operational impact may be limited. Analysts suggest a more significant consequence could be a separate decision to scrap plans for deploying long-range weapons systems in Germany.

On Monday, the German Defense Ministry said the U.S. had not made a “definitive cancellation” of the plan to station a battalion with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles and SM-6 missiles in Germany. A spokesman for the Chancellor's Office said: “It is important to proceed with developing our own systems in Europe and Germany.” The U.S. had planned to periodically station long-range fire capabilities in Germany from 2026. Due to their range, these missiles could strike targets deep inside Russia.

Germany is a lifeline for U.S. operations in the Middle East

With approximately 36,000 troops currently stationed on its soil, Germany hosts one of the largest U.S. military presences abroad. During the Cold War, Germany was NATO's front line against Soviet expansion. Today, its bases remain considered essential for U.S. operations across the Middle East, concentrated in the country's south and southwest.

Most prominent is Ramstein – the largest U.S. facility in Europe – which serves as a military hub for drone flights. The base also functions as a global transit center for troops and military equipment, located near Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, which treats U.S. soldiers wounded in the Iran war. Stuttgart houses U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command, along with U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa.

According to press reports, facilities near Stuttgart are also used to transmit encrypted information to Iran, supposedly for intelligence operatives in the field. Additionally, about 20 U.S. nuclear weapons are stored in Germany – a presence some critics want removed, while others see it as a cornerstone of NATO deterrence.

Lea Reisner, a Left Party politician and member of the parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, is among the harshest critics of Germany's role in the conflict. “The German government says Germany is not a party to the war, but simultaneously sends a minesweeper to the Strait of Hormuz,” she told Al Jazeera. “A country providing military infrastructure and logistical support cannot credibly describe itself as neutral. That is not neutrality. That is dishonesty.”

Jurgen Hardt, a CDU lawmaker from Merz's party and foreign policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, told Al Jazeera that a “combat mission” in the Strait of Hormuz is “unlikely for Germany.” “Any military involvement (of the armed forces) in the Strait of Hormuz would require an international mandate and an agreement between the conflict parties. At present, it is too early to speculate about deployment scenarios. The necessary conditions have not been established,” he said. He added that the transatlantic partnership is currently undergoing “a stress test,” but noted that President Trump ultimately “always stands by NATO.”

While other European countries have limited involvement in U.S. strikes – Spain restricted the use of its airbases, Switzerland closed its airspace – Germany has taken no such step. Reisner argues Germany faces a clear choice. “It can condemn the war as a clear violation of international law, restrict the use of its territory for offensive operations, and together with Europe demand an immediate ceasefire,” she said. “Or it can continue to pretend this does not concern it while German infrastructure plays a role in killing.”

Real rift or rhetorical move?

According to Dominik Tolksdorf, associate fellow for U.S. and Transatlantic Relations at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), the decision was “not very surprising” given Washington's reorientation of security and defense policy, announced in the National Defense Strategy in January 2026, “which also affects NATO.” “More serious is the failure to station Tomahawk missiles in Germany, because Europe does not yet produce cruise missiles of comparable range,” he added.

The announcements come as European countries accelerate rearmament and push for greater military independence. Berlin has declared its intention to build the continent's strongest conventional military by 2039. Defense spending has risen from €47 billion ($55 billion) – about 1.3% of GDP – in 2021 to €108 billion ($127 billion) today, an increase of roughly 130%. Trump's threats to withdraw from NATO and his erratic handling of the Ukraine war have accelerated this development.

Pattern of tensions

Verbal clashes between Europe and the Trump administration are nothing new. In February 2025, Vice President JD Vance sparked outrage at the Munich Security Conference by criticizing Europe over free speech and migration issues.

In Europe's largest economy, Chancellor Merz faces mounting pressure. High energy costs following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz are weighing on voters, and his approval ratings have dropped sharply. Germany's industrial sector, already in a prolonged downturn since Russia's invasion of Ukraine cut off cheap gas, has been worsened by the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline sabotage. And Germany's automotive industry – one of the economy's most vital sectors – has fallen behind in the global shift to electric vehicles.

Tolksdorf explained: “Merz therefore wants the conflict resolved as quickly as possible and is frustrated with what he sees as a lack of strategic direction from the Trump administration.”