STORY: Residents of the western German town of Landstuhl near the U.S. air base in Ramstein expressed concern on Saturday (May 2) after the Pentagon announced it would withdraw 5,000 troops from the NATO ally late on Friday (May 1).

The announcement followed a public spat over the war in Iran between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Residents were fearing the troop withdrawal could also affect Ramstein air base, having a negative impact on the local community.

Ramstein is the largest U.S. air base in Europe, where troops have been stationed since 1952.

In southern Germany, U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria, headquartered in Grafenwoehr, is a major training hub for forces in Europe. According to DMDC data, as of December 2025, 36,436 active service members were stationed in Germany, divided into five garrisons.

The move is the most concrete announcement made so far by the U.S. government to reduce its military presence in Europe, following months of complaints from Washington that the region wasn't doing enough to support the Americans in Iran and take care of its own security.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: LANDSTUHL, GERMANY (MAY 2, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. STREET LEADING INTO TOWN

2. VARIOUS EXTERIOR OF AMERICAN DENTISTRY FOR KIDS AND RESTAURANT 'TASTE OF CHICAGO'

3. STREET SIGN WITH DIRECTIONS TO US HOSPITAL

4. VARIOUS EXTERIOR OF INTERNATIONAL FURNITURE SHOP

5. VARIOUS EXTERIOR OF SOAPSHOP

6. SIGN READING 'USA NAILS'

7. MARKET SQUARE WITH CHURCH IN BACKGROUND

8. VARIOUS OF GERMAN, EU AND US FLAGS

9. WIDE OF FAIRGROUND

10. BANNER READING 'WELCOME, RHINELAND-PALATINATE'

11. (SOUNDBITE) (German) RESIDENT MURAT KAPLAN, SAYING:

"In any case, it would hit hard, because this area is very dependent on it financially, and I think it would cause a great deal of damage."

12. (SOUNDBITE) (German) RESIDENT MARIA RAFTOPOULO, SAYING:

"Americans weren’t just part of society. Some of them really did live among us quite normally. Not all of them were isolated, but they provided jobs, they rented houses and flats. I know from my family that this has also enabled many people to pay off their mortgages, through granny flats and other flats. And even though there are fewer Americans now. They still provide jobs, they still rent, they contribute to the region doing as well as it does. Things could still be better, that’s clear, but that’s a different matter."

13. (SOUNDBITE) (German) RESIDENT WERNER PAULI, SAYING:

"Yes, I think so. Well, it’s a loss of purchasing power, of course. However, it also has advantages. That is to say, it might mean that the housing situation in the area becomes a little less tight. But yes, everything always has two sides, or even more."

14. (SOUNDBITE) (German) RESIDENT RAMAZAN GOEKTAS, SAYING:

"I think that’s bad for the region. After all, many Americans spend a lot of money here. I think that would be bad."

15. VARIOUS OF US RAMSTEIN AIR BASE SEEN FROM VIEWING PLATFORM