US troop presence in Germany reviewed as Trump criticises Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Iran

President Donald Trump criticised German Chancellor Friedrich Merz again on Thursday. Trump urged Merz to focus on problems inside Germany instead. The comments came as Merz increased criticism of the US-Israel war against Iran. Trump also linked the dispute to wider talks on Europe’s security and NATO.

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Trump wrote on social media that Merz should spend more time on "ending the war with Russia/Ukraine and fixing his broken Country, especially Immigration and Energy and less time concerning himself with the Iran war.\" Trump’s post repeated an argument about priorities. It also kept pressure on a major European ally.

Trump reviews US military presence in Germany

The latest attack followed a new warning on US forces in Germany. A day earlier, Trump said the administration was reviewing the US military presence there. Germany is a NATO ally and hosts several American military installations. The review raised concerns in Europe about a possible reduction in troops.

Trump has threatened before that the United States could cut its military footprint in Germany. Germany is also the European Union’s largest economy. European officials have heard similar messages in past years. The renewed talk added to uncertainty about the US role in Europe’s defence plans.

Trump and Friedrich Merz clash over the Iran war

Trump’s Wednesday post came after Merz criticised the US approach to Iran. Merz said the US was being \"humiliated\" by Tehran. Merz pointed to what Merz saw as slow diplomatic efforts around the US-Israel war against Iran. Trump has continued to respond sharply to such public criticism.

Trump has spoken for years about pulling back US troops from Germany. Trump has also complained about NATO in recent weeks. Trump has accused the alliance of refusing to assist the US in its two-month-old war. These remarks have added strain to relations with some US partners.

NATO allies watch US military presence in Germany closely

US allies at NATO have expected possible troop cuts since the administration took office. Some allies warned that Europe may need to handle more security tasks. That includes support for Ukraine and wider regional defence. Trump’s comments on Germany have increased focus on these long-standing concerns.

The dispute left Germany’s role and US commitments under fresh scrutiny. Trump kept criticising Merz while speaking about troop levels. The comments also came alongside debate over Iran and Russia/Ukraine. NATO partners continued to watch for concrete decisions on US forces in Germany.

With inputs from PTI