U.S. to reduce troop levels in Germany

The U.S. Department of Defense said May 1 it will withdraw about 5,000 troops, roughly 13.7 percent, from the 36,440 American personnel stationed in Germany. A day later, U.S. President Donald Trump said the reduction could go much further, stating the number would be “far greater” than 5,000 and signaling the possibility of additional cuts.

Washington has also reportedly scrapped plans to deploy Tomahawk cruise missiles and Dark Eagle hypersonic missile units to Germany, raising concerns that the shift could leave a broader security gap across Europe.

The move is fueling concern that the impact could extend to United States Forces Korea. Trump has repeatedly named South Korea among allies he views as uncooperative in the conflict with Iran. Analysts say the latest decision could accelerate discussions over the size and mission of U.S. Forces Korea, as the United States seeks greater “strategic flexibility” in deploying troops abroad.

Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the withdrawal following a “comprehensive review” of U.S. force posture in Europe. The process is expected to be completed within six to 12 months, he said.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has drawn criticism from Washington since the Iran conflict began, taking a consistently critical stance toward U.S. policy. His refusal to send naval forces to the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping route that Iran has blockaded, is also seen as a factor behind the decision.

Amid the strain, Trump said May 1 that the United States will raise tariffs on passenger cars and trucks from the European Union starting next week, increasing the rate from 15 percent to 25 percent. Speaking at the White House, he said countries such as Japan, South Korea, Canada and Mexico have built factories in the United States under trade agreements, while the EU “has not lived up to its deal.”

Analysts view the tariff increase as a retaliatory move against European countries that were uncooperative in the Iran conflict. Some warn that Washington could extend similar security-linked trade pressure to other allies that declined U.S. requests, including calls to deploy naval forces to the Strait of Hormuz.

Separately, the presidential office in Seoul said May 3 it has been closely monitoring developments following the U.S.-EU tariff agreement and will continue assessing potential effects on South Korea. It added that the government is in close communication with Washington on follow-up measures tied to the South Korea-U.S. tariff agreement.


Jin-Woo Shin niceshin@donga.com