Azernews.Az

Ulviyya Poladova

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The United States is preparing to withdraw part of its military presence from Germany, marking a significant shift in its European force posture, AzerNEWS reports, citing Bild.

According to the information, the initial phase may involve the redeployment of a mechanized brigade stationed near the town of Vilseck, equipped with armored Stryker vehicles.

Germany currently hosts approximately 40,000 U.S. troops, making it one of the largest hubs of American military presence outside the United States. A substantial portion of these forces - around 26,000 personnel - are based in and around Vilseck and nearby Grafenwöhr.

The planned reduction follows earlier statements by Donald Trump, who indicated that U.S. troop levels in Germany would be cut by "far more than 5,000 soldiers." Speaking to journalists in Florida, Trump emphasized his administration’s intention to significantly scale down the American military footprint in the country.

Shortly before these remarks, the United States Department of Defense had already announced the withdrawal of approximately 5,000 troops. The decision prompted concern among European NATO allies, many of whom view the U.S. presence in Germany as a cornerstone of collective defense and deterrence in Europe.

Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has tried to downplay tensions with the United States after Washington announced plans to reduce the number of American troops in Germany.

Merz said that US plans to withdraw troops have "no connection" to the rift with President Donald Trump over his strategy in Iran.