Trump's withdrawal of 5,000 US troops from Germany marks turning point in relations between the two countries

An American soldier from an artillery unit, at the NATO 'Saber Junction 23' exercise, at the Hohenfels training ground (Germany), on September 14, 2023. CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP

On Friday, May 1, US President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of 5,000 American troops stationed in Germany, out of the approximately 40,000 who are permanently based there. The soldiers are set to leave within the next six to 12 months.

While the announcement had been preceded by repeated threats from Washington, it nevertheless sent shockwaves through Germany, a country that has hosted a strategic and symbolic American military presence since the end of World War II. Above all, it highlighted the deterioration of relations between the two countries that has been ongoing since the US-Israeli offensive in Iran started, on February 28.

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