Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is ordering the withdrawal of about 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany, the Pentagon announced Friday. The move comes after President Donald Trump threatened to pull troops following remarks made by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz about the U.S. war with Iran . The withdrawal of these troops is expected to be completed over the next six to 12 months, according to the Pentagon. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on U.S. President Donald Trump's FY2027 budget request for the Department of Defense on Capitol Hill in Washington, April 30, 2026. Eric Lee/Reuters "This decision follows a thorough review of the Department's force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground," Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement. There are approximately 80,000 U.S.…