German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has expressed his confidence that the United States will maintain its troop presence on German soil, despite an announcement by his US counterpart Donald Trump that more than 5,000 American military personnel are to be pulled out.
Speaking in Helsinki yesterday during a visit to the Finnish capital, Steinmeier said allowing US forces to remain in Germany “is in the interest” of the Trump administration, particularly at strategically important sites such as Ramstein Air Base.
“We genuinely trust this, it is in their own interest,” he said.
The German President urged European leaders to “stay calm” amid a barrage of comments and announcements from Washington on transatlantic security. The proposed withdrawal has already prompted Poland and Lithuania to offer to host the redeployed troops.
Standing alongside him, Finnish President Alexander Stubb said he trusted that Washington would “continue to help its own allies in Europe against Russian aggression”. He pointed to Russian nuclear weaponry stationed just 100 kilometres from Finland’s border.
“I believe US guarantees apply and will continue to apply,” Stubb said. He also underlined Germany’s growing strength and its political-military leadership across Europe since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Steinmeier echoed that view, insisting that a robust Germany “means a strong Europe”. “What Germany is now doing for its own defence does not just respond to its own interests but to those of European security as a whole,” he said.
The Pentagon confirmed on May 1 that US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth had ordered the withdrawal of about 5,000 American troops from Germany over the next six to 12 months. Trump went further the following day, telling reporters in Florida that the reduction would be “a lot further than 5,000”.
The German Government has responded with measured language. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius described the move as “anticipated”, though Berlin has reiterated that an American military footprint in Europe remains in mutual interest.
More than 36,000 US service members are currently stationed across Germany, making it the second-largest American military presence abroad after Japan. The country also hosts Ramstein Air Base, the largest US Air Force installation outside the United States.
Trump has also threatened to scale back troops in Italy and Spain, accusing both of failing to support Washington in its war with Iran. NATO has said it is working with the US to understand the details of the German withdrawal, while underlining the need for European members to invest more in their own defence.
If German president had any influence, he would be a menace to the stability of Europe