Ayhan Simsek
30 April 2026•Update: 30 April 2026
Germany does not expect the US to abandon key military bases on its soil, despite President Donald Trump’s warning that he may reduce the number of American troops stationed in the country, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Thursday.
“This review isn’t a new announcement at all; it’s been known for some time,” he told reporters, adding that under previous administrations, the US had already announced it would reduce troops in Europe and Germany as it shifts its focus to China and the Pacific region.
“We are prepared for it. We are discussing the matter closely and in a spirit of trust within all NATO bodies,” Wadephul said at a press conference in Rabat, Morocco. “We expect the United States to make decisions on this matter in a way that is appropriate among allies and partners, in discussion with us and others.”
Germany’s top diplomat said he spoke by phone with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday and that they discussed recent developments as well as preparations for NATO’s upcoming summit, which will be held in the Turkish capital, Ankara, in July.
“We know that we Europeans have to assume greater responsibility, and that will, in a certain sense, also relieve the Americans,” the minister said, referring to the planned US review of its troops in Europe. “However, this does not in any way call into question the large bases that the US operates in Germany,” he stressed.
Wadephul said key US bases and military facilities in Germany remain strategically important for both countries and for NATO and that he expects the Americans to keep using them.
“The Ramstein Air Base serves an irreplaceable function for both the US and us,” he said. “And the same applies to the US hospital in Landstuhl, as well as the Grafenwoehr training area. The US military headquarters in Stuttgart, which I recently visited, is also an important military facility,” he added.
Wadephul’s comments came amid renewed tensions between Berlin and Washington after Chancellor Friedrich Merz publicly criticized US policy on Iran and warned of the wider economic consequences of the conflict.
On Monday, Merz accused the United States of lacking an “exit strategy” in the Iran war and said Americans were being “humiliated” by the Iranian regime during talks.
He also cast doubt on a quick end to the conflict, saying: “The Iranians are obviously stronger than expected, and the Americans clearly don’t have a truly convincing strategy in the negotiations either.”
Trump responded in social media posts, saying Chancellor Merz “doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” On Wednesday, he also announced that his administration would review a possible drawdown of US troops in Germany, with a decision expected soon.
The US president continued his criticism Thursday, urging Merz to focus on “fixing his broken country” and ending the Russia-Ukraine war rather than criticizing US efforts to neutralize the Iranian nuclear threat.
