Daijiworld Media Network - Washington
Washington, May 22: US President Donald Trump on Thursday announced that the United States would deploy an additional 5,000 troops to Poland, signalling a major shift after recent moves by his administration to reduce the American military presence in Europe.
The announcement came just a week after Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth halted the planned deployment of a combat team scheduled to rotate through Poland. The Pentagon had earlier indicated that the decision reflected frustration over European allies allegedly not contributing enough to collective defence efforts.
The latest move also follows Trump’s earlier decision to withdraw 5,000 US troops from Germany after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticised Washington’s position during the Iran conflict.
Announcing the deployment on social media, Trump said the decision was influenced by his relationship with newly elected Polish President Karol Nawrocki.
“Based on the successful election of President Karol Nawrocki, whom I proudly endorsed, and our relationship with him, I am pleased to announce that the United States will be sending an additional 5,000 troops to Poland,” Trump stated.
However, it remains unclear where the additional troops will come from or whether the overall US troop presence in Europe will increase. The announcement has added uncertainty regarding Washington’s future military posture in Europe and its relationship with NATO allies.
Polish officials suggested that troop levels in the country may largely remain unchanged. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski welcomed Trump’s statement and said the US military presence in Poland would remain “more or less at previous levels.”
Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz also said Poland would not lose any US troops and noted that nearly 10,000 American soldiers were already stationed in the country.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, while attending a NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Sweden, said troop movements were part of broader global military adjustments and not intended as punishment for allies. He stressed the need for increased defence investment and burden-sharing within NATO.
NATO chief Mark Rutte welcomed the announcement but reiterated that Europe must gradually become less dependent on a single ally for security.
Poland has become a critical hub for Western military aid to Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion in 2022. In 2023, the US formally established the US Army Garrison Poland, strengthening its long-term military presence in the country.
Last week, Hegseth had cancelled two planned military deployments to Europe, including a rotation involving the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, which was expected to operate through Poland and the Baltic region. The cancellations reportedly affected nearly 5,000 personnel.
The decision drew criticism from Republican lawmakers in Washington. Republican Congressman Don Bacon described the abrupt cancellation of troop deployments as “an embarrassment” and said Poland had been blindsided by the move.