German Chancellor Moves to Ease Tensions with US as Washington Plans Troop Withdrawal
Al Jazeera
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has sought to calm tensions with the United States, asserting that Washington's troop reduction in Germany is not related to his criticism of Donald Trump's Iran strategy and reaffirming the US remains NATO's key ally. The remarks came after Trump threatened to withdraw troops and imposed new tariffs on EU cars, escalating a transatlantic rift.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has attempted to ease tensions with the United States after Washington announced plans to reduce the number of American troops stationed in Germany. Speaking on ARD television, Merz stressed that the planned US troop withdrawal is “not linked” to his disagreement with President Donald Trump over strategy toward Iran. He stated: “I continue to believe that the Americans are our most important partner within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).”
The rift began last week when Merz criticized US actions regarding Iran, arguing that Iran was “humiliating” America and warning that Washington had no clear exit route from the conflict. In the following days, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul sought to soften the chancellor’s remarks, saying Merz had only referred to Iran’s “bad behavior” in peace talks. However, Trump hit back sharply, calling Merz “clueless” and threatening to withdraw troops.
On May 2, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the withdrawal of approximately 5,000 American troops from Germany within the next 12 months – a 14% cut from the current 36,000-strong force. Germany currently hosts the largest US military contingent in Europe, with some 36,000 personnel, compared to 12,000 in Italy and 10,000 in Britain. The same day, Trump also announced new tariffs on cars and trucks from the European Union, a move that hits Germany, the bloc’s largest auto manufacturer, especially hard.
The transatlantic alliance is under strain as EU member states refuse to directly join the US-led campaign in Iran or help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Spain has been particularly outspoken in its criticism of the war, closing its airspace to US military aircraft involved in bombing operations over Iran. On social media, Trump shared a Breitbart article headlined “Trump Tells German Chancellor Merz ‘Fix Your Broken Country’ and Considers Withdrawing Troops from Spain, Italy.” Approximately 4,000 US troops are currently stationed in Spain.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius described the US decision as “foreseeable” and stressed that “Europeans must take greater responsibility for their own security.” NATO spokesperson Allison Hart posted on X that the alliance “is working with the US to understand the details of this decision.”
