U.S. President Donald Trump said in an April 29 Truth Social post that his administration and the Pentagon were reviewing a possible reduction of U.S. troop levels in Germany, without providing a timeline for any decision or withdrawal. Despite Trump's remarks, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on April 30 reaffirmed Berlin's close military cooperation with Washington and underscored NATO's central role in Germany's and Europe's defense.

The comments follow several days of escalating rhetorical tensions between Washington and Berlin over the war in Iran. These tensions are unfolding amid broader intra-NATO frictions after several European allies declined to support the U.S.-Israeli operation against Iran, alongside reported U.S. discussions on pressuring less supportive partners through potential troop reductions. Separately, U.S. officials welcomed Berlin's new military strategy, unveiled on April 22, for its pledge to raise defense spending to 3.7% of GDP by 2030, addressing longstanding U.S. concerns over European burden-sharing. Trump previously ordered troop withdrawals from Germany during his first term in 2020, a move later blocked by Congress and reversed by the Biden administration.