The Pentagon is drawing down thousands of troops in Europe by canceling deployments to Poland and Germany rather than withdrawing forces already stationed there, according to U.S. officials. This move comes as President Donald Trump has clashed with allies over the Iran war and demanded changes.
Details of the Drawdown
Several U.S. officials confirmed that 4,000 troops from the Army's 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, were no longer en route to Poland this week. The Trump administration had previously stated it would only cut forces in Germany, but the decision has raised questions and criticism in both Warsaw and Washington.
Two officials told The Associated Press that the deployments were canceled after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo directing the Joint Chiefs of Staff to move a brigade combat team out of Europe. One official said military leaders chose which unit to redeploy. In addition to the Army combat team based in Fort Hood, Texas, the memo also canceled an upcoming deployment to Germany of a battalion trained in firing long-range rockets and missiles, according to the two officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive operations.
Presidential Order and Rift with Allies
Three U.S. officials said the changes were part of an effort to comply with a presidential order issued in early May to reduce the number of troops in Europe by about 5,000. The reasoning has not been well communicated, as others based in Europe said they were unaware if the halted deployment to Poland was part of the previously announced reduction.
Trump and the Pentagon have said in recent weeks they are cutting at least 5,000 troops from Germany after Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the U.S. was being “humiliated” by Iranian leadership and criticized Washington’s lack of strategy in the war. The drawdown reflects a growing rift between the administration and traditional European allies, with Trump repeatedly criticizing NATO members for insufficient support in the Iran war.
Polish Reaction and Bipartisan Criticism
Polish officials on Friday insisted the U.S. withdrawal was not targeted at Poland but was a consequence of Trump’s decision to reduce troops in Germany. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he “received assurances” that the decision was logistical and does not directly impact deterrence capabilities or Poland’s security.
Military officials say the decision to halt the unit to Poland was made recently. Joel Valdez, a Pentagon spokesman, said “the decision to withdraw troops follows a comprehensive, multilayered process” and was “not an unexpected, last-minute decision.”
Speaking to Congress in a hearing Friday, Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and Gen. Christopher LaNeve, the Army’s chief of staff, told lawmakers that discussions around the halted deployment occurred over the past two weeks but the decision itself was made in the past couple days. Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska said he spoke with Polish officials on Thursday, and they noted they were “blindsided.”
Impact on U.S. Military Personnel
The move left many U.S. military personnel in Europe in the dark about how the Trump administration was reducing forces. A U.S. official based in Europe said a meeting was called with 20 minutes notice on Monday to discuss the cancellation of the deployment to Poland. At that time, troops had already been sent to Poland, and some, still in the U.S., were told shortly before departure not to travel to the airport. Another official said most of the Army unit’s equipment had already reached Europe and was sitting in ports.
Congressional and NATO Responses
The reductions drew bipartisan criticism from lawmakers who said the move sends the wrong signal to allies and Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose forces have launched one of the deadliest attacks on the Ukrainian capital in the 4-year-old war. At the House Armed Services Committee hearing Friday, LaNeve said he worked with U.S. Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, commander in Europe of both U.S. and NATO forces, after Grynkewich received instructions for the force reduction. “I’ve worked with him in close consultation of what that force unit would be, and it made the most sense for that brigade to not do its deployment in theater,” LaNeve said.
Bacon called the decision “reprehensible” and said it was “an embarrassment to our country what we just did to Poland.” Republican Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama, who chairs the committee, said the military is required to consult with lawmakers and that did not happen. “So we don’t know what’s going on here,” Rogers said. “But I can just tell you we’re not happy with what’s being talked about.”
A State Department official said Friday at a security conference in Tallinn, Estonia, that the U.S. reductions in Europe were “right there in black and white” but also noted that “the U.S. isn’t going anywhere.” Thomas G. DiNanno, U.S. undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, said, “We’ll continue to work with the Pentagon and work with our partners to make sure we get the right fit and right mix of what’s happening here on the ground.”
NATO Assurance and Long-Term Consequences
With the halted deployments, the U.S. military presence in Europe will now be at pre-2022 levels, before Russia commenced its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, one U.S. official said. European countries have been bracing for a U.S. reduction since Trump returned to the White House, with the administration warning that Europe would have to look after its own security, including Ukraine's, in the future.
A NATO official said the U.S. decision to cancel its rotational deployment to Poland would not impact NATO's deterrence and defense plans. Canada and Germany have increased their presence on the alliance's eastern flank, which contributes to NATO's overall strength, the official said, insisting on anonymity in line with NATO regulations.
Ben Hodges, former commanding general of U.S. Army Europe, said the move “reinforces the perception that the United States just does things without consultation with allies,” which ultimately “damages cohesion inside the alliance.” He added that the decision would in the long run harm the U.S. defense industry as it reduces the trust of partners.
Around 10,000 U.S. troops are typically stationed in Poland, the majority on a rotational basis. Only about 300 troops are permanently stationed in the country, according to the U.S. Congressional Research Service. Polish officials had hoped they would be spared from any cuts as Poland spends the most in NATO on defense as a proportion of its economy — around 4.7% in 2025. Hegseth has called it a “model ally” in NATO for spending so much on defense. When Poland’s conservative president, Karol Nawrocki, visited the White House in September, Trump said he didn't intend to pull U.S. troops out of Poland. “We’ll put more there if they want,” Trump said at the time.
