NATO says working with US to understand details of troop withdrawal in Germany

Berlin signals shift toward greater European defense responsibility while Washington plans to cut 5,000 troops

NATO on Saturday said that they are working with Washington to understand the US' decision to withdraw troops from Germany. "We are working with the US to understand the details of their decision on force posture in Germany," spokesperson Allison Hart wrote on X.

She said that the "adjustment underscores the need for Europe to continue to invest more in defence and take on a greater share of the responsibility" for their shared security.

"We remain confident in our ability to provide for our deterrence and defence as this shift towards a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO continues," Hart added.

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The US defence chief has ordered the withdrawal of approximately 5,000 troops from Germany, a Pentagon spokesman said Friday.

Earlier this week, President Donald Trump said that the US is assessing a possible reduction of its military presence in Germany amid a rift within NATO about his war against Iran.

His remarks came after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticised the US on Monday for lacking an exit strategy for the Iran war, saying Americans were being “humiliated” by the Iranian regime in talks.

Germany says US troop withdrawal ‘foreseeable’ amid Iran tensions

Germany’s defence minister said on Saturday that a planned US troop withdrawal from Europe was “foreseeable,” as transatlantic tensions grow over Washington’s war on Iran.

Boris Pistorius said it was expected that the United States would reduce its military presence, including in Germany, after the US military announced plans to pull around 5,000 troops from the country.

The move comes amid strained relations between Washington and key European allies over the ongoing conflict with Iran.

Read More: War with US will ‘likely’ resume: Iranian armed forces

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said Iran is “humiliating” the United States in negotiations aimed at ending the conflict.

Pistorius stressed that Europe must assume greater responsibility for its own defense, saying Germany is “on the right track” through efforts to expand its armed forces and accelerate procurement.

He added that Berlin would continue close coordination with allies, particularly Britain, France, Poland and Italy.