Trump threatens to cut US troops in Europe: Not so simple
Al Jazeera Staff
US President Donald Trump has threatened to reduce troop numbers in Germany, Italy, and Spain amid rising tensions with European allies over the Iran war. However, the move faces significant legal and political hurdles. Congress can block such withdrawals through legislation, and a current law prohibits reducing US troops in Europe below 75,000 permanently.
Over the past 48 hours, US President Donald Trump has said he is considering withdrawing troops from Germany, Italy, and Spain, after these countries criticized his handling of the war with Iran.
Earlier this week, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the US is being “humiliated” by Iran and that the Trump administration lacks a “truly convincing strategy” to end the conflict. Speaking to students in the town of Marsberg, Merz declared: “The war against Iran is costing us a lot of money and directly affecting economic output.”
In response, on April 29, Trump wrote on Truth Social that Merz “thinks Iran having nuclear weapons is fine” and “doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” The following day, he added: “The US is looking at the possibility of reducing troops in Germany, and a decision will be made soon.”
When asked on May 1 whether he would pull troops from Italy and Spain, Trump said: “Maybe… Why not? Italy isn’t helping at all, and Spain is terrible.” Both countries have criticized the Iran war.
According to December 2025 data from the Pentagon’s Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC), the US maintains approximately 68,064 active-duty troops stationed across Europe, based at 31 permanent bases and 19 military installations. Of these, nearly 53,000 are in Germany, Italy, and Spain alone.
Breakdown:
- Germany: 36,436 troops, largest base is Ramstein Air Base.
- Italy: 12,662 troops, stationed at Vicenza, Aviano, Naples, and Sicily.
- Spain: 3,814 troops, near the Strait of Gibraltar.
- UK: 10,156 troops, mainly at three Air Force bases.
- Poland: 369 permanent troops plus approximately 10,000 rotational forces.
- Romania: 153 permanent troops, plus rotational forces.
- Hungary: 77 permanent troops.
A troop withdrawal is not solely a presidential decision. The US Congress can block or complicate such moves through legislation and budget control. In 2020, Trump threatened to remove 12,000 troops from Germany, but Congress opposed it, and President Joe Biden later reversed the decision. Moreover, the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) includes a provision prohibiting the reduction of US troops in Europe below 75,000 on a permanent basis.
The tensions stem from the US-Israel war against Iran, which erupted on February 28 and has not yet concluded. The Strait of Hormuz has been blockaded, disrupting global trade. Trump has criticized European leaders for not supporting the US. He once described UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer as “no Winston Churchill” after Starmer refused to allow the US to use British military bases for strikes against Iran. He has also attacked Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni—once a favored European leader—for her criticism of the war.
US bases in Europe date back to World War II, originally intended to counter the Soviet Union, but have since become logistics hubs for US wars in the Middle East. Host nations often provide land free of charge and pay local employees. The Landstuhl Hospital near Ramstein Air Base is the largest US military hospital outside the United States, providing triage and treatment for US forces in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
