- US President Donald Trump has announced that the administration is reviewing a reduction of military personnel in Germany, Italy, and Spain.
- The threats stem from European criticism of the US campaign in Iran, with Trump specifically targeting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for labeling the US strategy as “ill-considered”.
- The US launched its campaign in Iran without notifying most NATO allies, leading European leaders to favor diplomatic solutions over direct military involvement.
Relations between the United States and its traditional European allies reached a new low this week as President Donald Trump threatened to withdraw American troops from Germany, Italy, and Spain.
Eko Hot Blog reports that the President cited a lack of support for the US-led war in Iran as the primary driver for the potential cuts.
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On Wednesday night, Trump utilized his Truth Social platform to state that a determination regarding troop levels in Germany would be made in the “next short period of time”.
By Thursday, he expanded these warnings to include Italy and Spain, claiming Italy had not been of “any help” and describing Spain’s cooperation as “horrible”.
The escalation follows a public spat with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Merz recently criticized the Trump administration’s lack of a clear exit strategy in Iran, suggesting the US was being humiliated by the conflict.
Trump retaliated by accusing Merz of not knowing “what he’s talking about” and blaming the Chancellor for Germany’s economic struggles.
As of late 2025, the US maintains a significant military presence in these nations, with over 36,000 personnel in Germany, 12,600 in Italy, and 3,800 in Spain.
While Germany has allowed the use of its air bases for logistical operations, it has strictly prohibited their use as staging grounds for direct offensive strikes.
Similarly, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto expressed confusion over the threats, noting that Italy had even offered missions to protect shipping in the region.
European leaders continue to emphasize the need for a diplomatic resolution to the conflict, which the US initiated without advance notice to the majority of the NATO alliance.
In response, Trump has increasingly characterized the military alliance as a “paper tiger”.
