The U.S. is withdrawing 5,000 troops from Germany, with the Pentagon citing tensions after a public clash with Chancellor Friedrich Merz. The drawdown, ordered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, will unfold over 6 to 12 months, returning troop levels to pre-Russia-Ukraine War posture. Officials linked the move to “unhelpful” German remarks on Iran, as Trump warns troop cuts could extend to Italy and Spain, raising fears of a widening rift within NATO.