(Reuters) – Germany is reviving efforts to buy US Tomahawk cruise missiles, the Financial Times reported on Sunday, citing people with knowledge of Berlin's strategy.
Berlin hopes to persuade the Trump administration to agree to the sale of the Tomahawks together with their Typhon ground-launchers, the newspaper said.
THE RIFT
A diplomatic rift between Germany and the United States over its war in Iran has widened. It has led to a broader debate over Europe’s transatlantic relationship with the United States, as Germany pushes to strengthen its military role on the continent, reported Al Jazeera.
Tensions flared after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said last week that Washington had been “humiliated” by its failure to secure a deal with Tehran and criticized Trump for having “no strategy” on Iran.
The dispute intensified after US President Donald Trump announced plans to redeploy 5,000 US troops currently stationed in Germany, including a Stryker Brigade based in Vilseck — a move first proposed during his presidency in 2020.
The announcement coincided with Germany’s deployment of a minesweeper and a replenishment vessel to the Mediterranean Sea en route to the Strait of Hormuz. Berlin said the ships would only participate in clearing operations after hostilities end, though US military operations involving Iran have long relied on bases and infrastructure across Germany.
Merz, a former adviser to BlackRock, said the troop withdrawal was not unexpected, while Germany’s defence ministry described the decision as “foreseeable.”
In Washington, Republican lawmakers Roger Wicker and Mike Rogers, who chair the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, voiced “grave concern” over the move.
Analysts say the redeployment would reduce US troop levels in Germany to roughly what they were before Russian invasion of Ukraine, limiting its immediate military impact. More significant, however, could be a separate US decision to reconsider deploying long-range weapons systems in Germany.
Berlin said on Monday that Washington had not issued a “definitive cancellation” of plans to station a battalion equipped with Tomahawk cruise missile and SM-6 missile systems in Germany from 2026.
A spokesperson for the Chancellor’s Office said the situation underscored the need for Europe and Germany to accelerate the development of their own defense systems.
GERMANY VITAL TO US MISSION IN MIDDLE EAST
Germany remains central to US military strategy, hosting around 36,000 American troops — one of Washington’s largest overseas deployments. During the Cold War, Germany served as NATO’s frontline against Soviet expansion, a role that continues to shape its strategic importance today.
Among the most critical facilities is Ramstein Air Base, the largest US military installation in Europe. The base serves as a major logistics and drone operations hub, enabling remote strike missions and acting as a transit center for troops and military equipment. Nearby Landstuhl Regional Medical Center has also played a key role in treating wounded US personnel during operations linked to the Iran conflict.