Germany takes US troop drawdown in stride but deterrence gaps remain

• German minister says move should spur Europeans as Pentagon announces withdrawal of 5,000 troops
• Two top US Republican lawmakers ​express ‘concern’ over decision
• Nato says it’s working with US to understand details of plan
• Transatlantic tensions simmer over Iran and tariffs

BERLIN: A planned drawdown of 5,000 US troops from Germany should spur Europeans to strengthen their own defences, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Saturday, as the continent scrambles to boost deterrence against Russia.

However, two top US Republican lawmakers expressed concern, saying the troops should not leave Europe.

The Pentagon announced the drawdown from Germany, its largest European base, on Friday, as a rift over the Iran war and tariff tensions place further strain on relations between the US and Europe.

As part of the US decision, a Biden-era plan to deploy an American battalion with long-range Tomahawk missiles to Germany has also been dropped — a blow to Berlin, which had pushed for the move as a powerful deterrent against Russia.

Republican lawmakers Senator Roger Wicker and Representative Mike Rogers, the chairs of the Senate and House armed services committees, said they were “very concerned”. They said the troops should not be moved from Europe, but moved east.

“Prematurely reducing America’s forward presence in Europe before those capabilities are fully realized risks undermining deterrence and sending the wrong signal to [Russian President] Vladimir Putin,” they said in a joint statement.

Pistorius said the partial withdrawal was expected and would affect a current US presence of almost 40,000 soldiers stationed in Germany.

“We Europeans must take on more responsibility for our own security,” Pistorius said, adding, “Germany is on the right track” by expanding its armed forces, speeding up military procurement and building infrastructure.

Trump called for a reduced military presence in Germany as far back as his first term and has repeatedly urged Europe to take responsibility for its defence. However, he stepped up the threat earlier this week after sparring with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who has questioned Washington’s exit strategy in the Middle East.

Nato seeking details

A Nato spokesperson said the alliance was working with the US to understand the details of the decision.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose country is seeking assurances of continued US support on Nato’s eastern flank amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, expressed concern about the latest setback to the alliance.

“The greatest threat to the transatlantic community are not its external enemies, but the ongoing disintegration of our alliance. We must all do what it takes to reverse this disastrous trend,” Tusk wrote on X on Saturday.

The Pentagon decision means one full brigade will leave Germany and a long-range fires battalion that was due to be deployed later this year will be cancelled.

The long-range fires had been due to form a significant extra element of deterrence against Russia while Europeans developed such long-range missiles themselves.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2026