Trump says weighing troop reduction in Germany after row with Merz

WASHINGTON/BERLIN, April 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the United States is studying and reviewing a possible reduction of troops in Germany.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the decision will be made within a short period of time.

The United States had just over 68,000 active-duty personnel permanently stationed at overseas bases in Europe as of December 2025, according to the Defense Manpower Data Center, with more than half based in Germany.

In recent days, Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz lashed out at each other over the Iran war. Merz criticized the United States for its "planless" military engagement in Iran, saying that the United States "is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership."

In response, Trump wrote on social media on Tuesday that Merz "doesn't know what he's talking about" and is indifferent to Iran's nuclear ambitions.

On Wednesday, Merz sought to downplay his row with Trump, saying that his personal relationship with the U.S. president remains good.

Speaking at a press conference in Berlin, Merz said he and Trump remain "on good speaking terms," adding that he simply had doubts from the beginning regarding the actions taken in the war.

Merz called for a swift resolution of the conflicts in Iran as Germany and Europe are suffering considerably from their consequences. ■