German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said the United States is central to the NATO alliance despite differences in opinion and downplayed tensions with US President Donald Trump, after Washington announced a troop drawdown in Germany.
"I remain convinced that the Americans are the most important partner for us in the North Atlantic Alliance," Mr Merz told public broadcaster ARD in an interview to be televised today.
Asked whether US plans to reduce its troop presence in Germany had anything to do with a spat between the two leaders over Mr Trump's strategy in Iran, Mr Merz said, "There is no connection."
It comes as Mr Trump doubled down on the country's decision to withdraw 5,000 US troops from Germany, as a rift in transatlantic ties deepens over the war in Iran.
The Pentagon announced the 5,000-troop reduction on Friday, but Mr Trump told reporters yesterday "we're going to cut way down, and we're cutting a lot further than 5,000". He did not elaborate.
The move follows a spat between Mr Trump and Mr Merz, who said that Iran was "humiliating" the US at the negotiating table.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the withdrawal was expected "to be completed over the next six to 12 months".
NATO said it was "working with the US to understand the details of their decision on force posture in Germany".
"This adjustment underscores the need for Europe to continue to invest more in defence and take on a greater share of the responsibility for our shared security," NATO spokeswoman Allison Hart wrote on social media.
There were 36,436 active-duty US troops in NATO ally Germany as of 31 December 2025, compared to 12,662 in Italy and 3,814 in Spain.
US troop numbers in Germany to be cut 'way down', says Trump
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said the US troop withdrawal "from Europe and also from Germany was to be expected".
Poland has not received any signals that troops being withdrawn by the US from Germany could be relocated instead of being sent back to America, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.
"We don't have any such signals at the moment," Mr Tusk said, when asked whether Washington had indicated the troops might be redeployed to NATO's eastern flank rather than returned to the US.
The troop withdrawal comes as Mr Trump announced that tariffs on cars and trucks from the European Union would jump from 15% to 25% next week, accusing the bloc of failing to comply with a trade deal signed last summer.
The decision to reduce the number of troops in Germany has been met with scepticism by top Republican politicians who oversee US military policy.
In a joint statement, Senator Roger Wicker and Representative Mike Rogers, chairs of the Armed Services Committees in their respective chambers, warned that the move risks "sending the wrong signal to Vladimir Putin".
Even though European allies are boosting defence spending, "translating that investment into the military capability needed to assume primary responsibility for conventional deterrence will take time," they said.
The duo noted that Germany had heeded Mr Trump's calls for greater spending on defence and that it had allowed American planes to use German bases and airspace during the ongoing conflict with Iran.
Mr Trump has threatened to slash US troop numbers in Germany and other European allies during both his White House terms, saying he wants Europe to take on greater responsibility for its defence rather than depending on the US.
He now appears determined to punish allies who have failed to back the Middle East war or contribute to a peacekeeping force in the crucial Strait of Hormuz waterway, which Iran's forces have effectively closed.
Mr Trump said on Thursday he might pull US troops from Italy and Spain due to their opposition to the Iran war.
"Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible, absolutely horrible," he told reporters.
"Yeah, probably, I probably will. Why shouldn't I?" he added.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said that Germany was "prepared" for a reduction in US troops and "discussed it closely and in a spirit of trust in all NATO bodies".
However, Mr Wadephul said large American bases in Germany are "not up for discussion at all" and cited the example of Ramstein Air Base, which he said has "an irreplaceable function for the United States and for us alike".
