The Pentagon had announced on Friday that about 5,000 troops would be withdrawn from Germany over the next six to 12 months, but Trump said the reduction would go significantly beyond that figure.“We’re going to cut way down, and we’re cutting a lot further than 5,000,” Trump told reporters in Florida, offering no detailed explanation for the expanded drawdown.

The move escalates tensions with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and comes amid broader disputes between Washington and European allies over defense spending, the war in Iran and trans-Atlantic trade.Germany currently hosts around 36,000 U.S. service members, including major strategic facilities such as Ramstein Air Base, the headquarters of U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command, and the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, a major military hospital serving overseas operations.

A withdrawal of 5,000 troops would represent roughly one-seventh of the U.S. military presence in Germany, though the Pentagon has not clarified which units or operations would be affected by the larger reduction Trump indicated.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said earlier on Saturday that the initial drawdown was expected and reflected a broader reality that Europe must take greater responsibility for its own security.“The presence of American soldiers in Europe, and especially in Germany, is in our interest and in the interest of the U.S.,” Pistorius told German news agency dpa.

“We Europeans must take on more responsibility for our security,” he added, pointing to Germany’s increased defense spending, faster procurement and military modernization efforts.NATO also responded cautiously, with spokesperson Allison Hart saying the alliance was working with Washington to understand the details of the force posture changes.

“This adjustment underscores the need for Europe to continue to invest more in defense and take on a greater share of the responsibility for our shared security,” she said in a post on X, while noting progress toward the alliance’s defense spending target of 5% of GDP among member states.

The troop reduction has faced immediate resistance in Washington from both Democrats and senior Republicans, who warned that it could weaken deterrence against Russia as Moscow’s war in Ukraine enters its fifth year.

Republican lawmakers Senator Roger Wicker and Representative Mike Rogers, who chair the Senate and House armed services committees, said they were “very concerned” the decision would risk “undermining deterrence and sending the wrong signal to Vladimir Putin.”They also said the Pentagon had canceled the planned deployment of the Army’s Long-Range Fires Battalion, a move they argued would further weaken NATO’s eastern posture.

Trump’s renewed push to scale back troop deployments follows longstanding criticism of European allies for relying too heavily on U.S. defense guarantees while underinvesting in their own militaries.His frustration has deepened over Europe’s reluctance to fully support Washington’s military campaign with Israel against Iran, as well as over trade disputes with the European Union.

Trump recently accused the EU of failing to comply with a trade agreement and said he would raise tariffs next week on European-made cars and trucks to 25%, a step likely to hit Germany’s export-driven auto sector particularly hard.

Merz last week criticized U.S. strategy toward Iran, saying Washington was being “humiliated” by Iranian leadership and lacked a coherent approach.Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said the troop withdrawal followed “a thorough review” of U.S. force posture in Europe and reflected operational needs and current conditions on the ground.

A U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said military branches had no prior notice of the decision and learned of the reduction in real time, underscoring internal concerns over the abruptness of the move.

Germany remains central to U.S. military operations in Europe, with permanent Army and Air Force deployments, logistical hubs and strategic nuclear assets, making any significant troop reduction symbolically and operationally sensitive for NATO.

Ivan Fedorov said Russian forces carried out two overnight strikes on the Zaporizhzhia district, destroying private homes. A 10-year-old boy and a 48-year-old man were among those injured, he said in a statement posted on Telegram.

The attack adds to a series of strikes on civilian infrastructure in southern Ukraine, where frontline regions continue to face sustained bombardment.

Local officials said residential properties were damaged in the latest assault, underscoring the ongoing risks to civilians.

No immediate comment was issued by Russia on the reported strikes.

The developments come ahead of a planned meeting between Ukrainian and U.S. negotiators in the United States on Saturday, according to Volodymyr Zelensky, as efforts continue to restart diplomatic engagement over the conflict.

Negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv, supported by Washington, have faced delays in recent weeks. Ukrainian officials have said the talks were disrupted by the US-Israeli war with Iran, which has shifted international attention and diplomatic resources.

Fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces remains ongoing, with periodic escalations reported across multiple regions. The latest strike highlights the continuing volatility on the ground even as diplomatic efforts seek to regain momentum.

Rising energy costs linked to the conflict and fears of a renewed refugee influx have elevated the Middle East crisis to a central issue at the summit, officials said, alongside efforts to secure agreement on a 90 billion-euro ($104 billion) loan intended to support Ukraine’s war-strained finances.

Energy and Middle East concernsLeaders are weighing options to mitigate economic shocks from the conflict, including proposals from the European Commission for a “toolbox” of measures aimed at lowering energy prices across the 27-nation bloc. A senior EU diplomat said no single policy would suit the bloc’s diverse energy markets, underscoring the complexity of the response.

Several EU countries have resisted calls from U.S. President Donald Trump to deploy military assets to safeguard the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global shipments of oil, gas and fertilizer, reflecting caution over deeper involvement in the conflict.

The summit is also focused on a standoff between Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and other EU leaders over the Ukraine loan agreed in principle in December. Orbán withdrew support after disruptions to the Druzhba oil pipeline earlier this year, citing energy security concerns.

“If there is no oil, there is no money,” Orbán said in a social media post, linking Hungary’s backing of the loan to stable energy supplies.

EU officials are seeking to persuade Hungary and Slovakia, whose Prime Minister Robert Fico has also adopted pro-Russia positions, to lift their objections. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has preposed EU funding to repair the Druzhba pipeline and develop alternative supply routes for both countries.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said blocking the loan was “absolutely unfair,” stressing that the funds are essential as Kyiv faces a deepening budget crisis amid its war with Russia, which began in February 2022.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged swift agreement on both the loan and a new package of sanctions against Moscow, warning against allowing domestic political considerations within member states to hinder collective action.

He said the EU must “increase the pressure on Moscow together,” in coordination with the United States, as leaders gather to reconcile internal divisions with mounting geopolitical and economic pressures.