The claim
“US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the withdrawal of approximately 5,000 American soldiers from Germany over the next 12 months.”
Our verdict
Mostly True
Multiple reputable sources confirm that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the withdrawal of roughly 5,000 US troops from Germany over the next year.
What we found
One source attributes the order to Trump, creating a minor contradiction, but the preponderance of evidence supports the claim.
The evidence
1 of 4 sources contradict the claim; none support it.
- Background
Breaking Defense cites Pentagon spokesman confirming Hegseth ordered withdrawal of roughly 5,000 US troops from Germany over the next year.
breakingdefense.com· Breaking Defense confirms Hegseth order - Background
Stars and Stripes reports Hegseth ordered withdrawal, with completion expected within six to 12 months.
stripes.com· Stars and Stripes confirms Hegseth order - Contradicts the claim
MSN reports President Trump ordered the Pentagon to withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany.
msn.com· MSN article attributes order to Trump - Background
Other sources note the US has roughly 34,000 troops in Germany; a 5,000‑troop reduction corresponds to about a 14‑percent cut.
stripes.com· Context of troop levels
How we checked
We reviewed 4 relevant sources.
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