Trump disclosed the review on Truth Social, stating that the administration would study and determine the scope of any troop reduction in Germany "over the next short period of time." The announcement came after Merz criticized U.S. diplomatic efforts with Iran, saying America was being "humiliated by the Iranian leadership" in connection with failed peace talks.
Germany currently hosts 36,436 active-duty U.S. troops, making it the second-largest concentration of American military personnel abroad after Japan, which has 54,288 troops stationed there. South Korea hosts 23,495, Italy 12,662, and the United Kingdom 10,156.
The tension between Trump and Merz escalated after the German chancellor's comments about Iran. Trump responded Tuesday with sharp criticism, suggesting Merz was naive about nuclear threats and asserting that he was taking unspecified action against Iran that previous administrations should have undertaken. Trump also criticized Germany's economic performance.
Despite Trump's rebuke, Merz attempted to contain the diplomatic fallout. Speaking to reporters Wednesday, the chancellor said his personal relationship with Trump "remains good" and clarified his position on Iran, stating he had doubts "from the start about what was begun with the war in Iran."
The troop review also comes amid broader disagreements over U.S. diplomatic strategy toward Iran. Trump canceled a second round of indirect peace talks scheduled for Pakistan this past weekend, where special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were to participate. Trump told reporters that U.S. negotiators would no longer make extended flights for talks that yielded no results, stating that Iran could "call anytime" if it wished to engage directly.
