US Withdraws 5000 Troops From Germany Amid Rift Over Iran Conflict

A diplomatic disagreement between the United States and Germany over the war in Iran has grown following public comments by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Merz said last week that Washington had been humiliated by its failure to reach a deal with Tehran and that the Trump administration had no strategy.

The remarks preceded President Donald Trump's announcement that the US would redeploy 5000 troops from Germany. The troop withdrawal includes a Stryker Brigade stationed in Vilseck, Bavaria, according to media reports. The move returns US troop levels in Germany to roughly those seen before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

The operational impact on US capabilities may therefore be limited. Germany dispatched a minesweeper and a replenishment vessel to the Mediterranean on Monday. The ships are bound for the Strait of Hormuz but Berlin has stated they would only participate in clearing the shipping lane after hostilities have ended.

The United States has relied on German bases and infrastructure during its military campaign in Iran.

Germany currently hosts about 36000 US troops. Facilities near Stuttgart host US European Command, US Africa Command, and have reportedly been used to transmit communications related to Iran. About 20 US nuclear weapons are also stationed in Germany.

Lea Reisner, a Left Party politician and member of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee, told Al Jazeera that Germany cannot credibly claim neutrality while providing military infrastructure and logistical support. "The German government claims that Germany is not a party to this war and at the same time, dispatched a minesweeper toward the Strait of Hormuz," Reisner said.

Jurgen Hardt, a lawmaker with Merz’s CDU party and the foreign policy spokesperson of the CDU/CSU parliamentarian group, told Al Jazeera that a combat mission in the Strait of Hormuz is out of the question for Germany. He said any military engagement would require an international mandate and agreement among the parties to the conflict.

Hardt added that the transatlantic partnership is undergoing a stress test but that President Trump has always stood by NATO.

The US had planned episodic deployments of long-range fires capabilities in Germany starting in 2026, including a battalion with Tomahawk cruise missiles and SM-6 missiles. On Monday the German defence ministry said there had been no definitive cancellation of that plan.

A spokesperson for the Chancellor’s Office stated it is important to implement the development of European and German systems. Germany has announced plans to field the strongest conventional army in Europe by 2039. Its defence spending has increased from 47 billion euros in 2021 to 108 billion euros today.

The rise coincides with broader European efforts to achieve greater military independence. Merz, who previously worked as a senior adviser at BlackRock, downplayed the rift with Washington despite the troop drawdown. Other European countries have restricted their involvement in US operations, with Spain limiting use of its airbases and Switzerland closing its airspace.

Germany has not taken similar steps. Reisner said Germany faces a choice between condemning the war as a violation of international law and restricting use of its territory, or continuing to allow its infrastructure to support operations. The disagreement occurs as high energy costs linked to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz affect German voters and industry.