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BERLIN, May 2 (Reuters) - German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Saturday that the planned withdrawal of U.S. troops from Germany should prompt Europeans to strengthen their own defense capabilities, following Washington's latest pronouncement against transatlantic relations.

The US Department of Defense (Pentagon) announced on Friday that the United States will withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany, its largest European base, amid escalating tensions over the Iran war and trade disputes that are further straining relations between the United States and Europe.

Pistorius said the move was expected.

Trump threatened to withdraw troops earlier this week after a dispute with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who questioned Washington's strategy in the Middle East.

Germany is strengthening its forces and military infrastructure.

Pistorius said the partial withdrawal would affect the current US presence in Germany, estimated at around 40,000 troops. Other estimates put the number of active-duty US troops at 35,000.

Pistorius added, "We Europeans have to take greater responsibility for our security... Germany is on the right track" by strengthening its armed forces and increasing and accelerating the purchase of military equipment, along with strengthening its infrastructure.

Germany is seeking to increase the number of active-duty German army (Bundeswehr) soldiers from the current 185,000 to 260,000, despite demands from critics of the defense minister to increase the number in response to the growing Russian threat.

NATO members have pledged to take on a greater share of their own defense responsibility. But tight budgets and significant gaps in military capabilities mean that meeting European security needs will take years.

The Pentagon's decision means withdrawing an entire battalion from Germany, along with cancelling the mission of a long-range strike battalion that was scheduled to be deployed later this year.

The loss of these long-range capabilities represents a major blow to Berlin, as they were expected to form an important additional deterrent against Russia, at a time when Europeans are working to develop long-range missiles with their own capabilities.