A German newspaper reported that the United States plans to accelerate the withdrawal of troops from its European bases and will present its proposals to NATO partners at a conference scheduled for next month, citing an unidentified Pentagon source.
In May, Washington announced intentions to remove 5,000 service members from Germany, a decision widely interpreted as linked to a rift over the Iran war between President Donald Trump and European governments. Germany currently hosts about 35,000 active-duty U.S. military personnel - more than any other country in Europe.
At the time of the May announcement, Pentagon officials indicated the planned withdrawal of the 5,000 troops was expected to take between six and 12 months to complete. The newspaper report did not provide specifics on how much faster the United States now intends to move, nor did it identify which bases or locations might see changes to their force posture as a result of any accelerated timetable.
The U.S. is due to present its plans to allies at next month’s North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Force Sourcing Conference, according to the report. Pentagon officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the German newspaper's account.
The available information is limited to the items above: that an acceleration is planned, that formal proposals will be presented to NATO next month, and that previous plans announced in May called for a 5,000-troop reduction in Germany to be carried out over six to 12 months. The source cited in the report was not identified beyond being from the Pentagon, and no additional operational or geographic details were provided in the coverage.
Given the present reporting, key elements remain unspecified - including the revised timeline for the withdrawals and which specific installations would be affected. Officials have not published further documentation or public briefings tied to the newspaper's account, and the Pentagon has not issued an immediate response to inquiries seeking confirmation or elaboration.
Summary
The United States reportedly plans to accelerate troop withdrawals from bases in Europe and will present its proposals to NATO allies next month. Earlier plans announced in May called for removing 5,000 troops from Germany over six to 12 months; the new report did not disclose how much sooner the withdrawals would occur or which locations might be affected.