President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he would “probably” consider withdrawing U.S. troops from Italy and Spain. His remarks came a day after he revealed that Washington was evaluating a possible reduction of American military forces stationed in Germany.
Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO members for failing to deploy naval forces to assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which was shut to international shipping after the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran began on February 28. He has also indicated that the United States could reconsider its membership in the alliance.
According to a Pentagon email obtained by Reuters last week, U.S. officials discussed potential measures against NATO allies viewed as unsupportive during operations related to the Iran conflict. One proposal reportedly included suspending Spain from NATO.
Earlier this month, Trump raised the possibility of reducing the American military presence across Europe. On Wednesday, he confirmed that his administration was reviewing troop levels in Germany and said a decision would be announced soon.
When asked on Thursday whether similar troop withdrawals could extend to Italy and Spain—both of which have criticized the Iran conflict—Trump responded, “Probably … Look, why shouldn’t I? Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible, absolutely horrible.”
Last month, Trump also warned Spain of a complete U.S. trade embargo after Madrid declined to permit American forces to use its military bases for operations connected to strikes on Iran.
Figures from the U.S. Defense Manpower Data Center show that, as of December 2025, more than 68,000 active-duty U.S. military personnel were permanently stationed at bases across Europe. Germany hosts the largest share, with approximately 36,400 troops.
