Donald Trump has announced that the United States will send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland, days after the Pentagon halted a planned deployment of forces to the country. In a post on Truth Social, the US president cited the election of Poland's President Karol Nawrocki and their relationship as the reason for the decision.
The announcement appears to reverse an earlier move, when the Pentagon said it would delay the rotation of around 4,000 troops from the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division to Poland as part of a review of the US force posture in Europe. It was not immediately clear whether the new deployment would be rotational or permanent. Approximately 10,000 US troops are already based in Poland.
Vice-President JD Vance had defended the delay earlier this week, telling a Polish reporter that Europe should take more responsibility for its own defence, and describing the postponement as a “standard delay”. The original decision had prompted anxiety among Polish leaders, who cited Russia's assertive stance amid the war in Ukraine, and drew criticism in the US Congress.
The announcement came just hours before Secretary of State Marco Rubio was due to attend a Nato ministerial meeting in Sweden. Rubio said Trump was “very disappointed” in alliance members that had refused to allow the US to use bases on their territory for the war with Iran, singling out Spain. Trump has repeatedly criticised Nato allies and has questioned whether Washington should honour its mutual defence commitments.
Poland has long positioned itself as a key US ally in Europe, with troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan and among the highest defence spending in Nato. President Nawrocki thanked Trump for his friendship, saying the alliance was a vital pillar of security for Poland and Europe. Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz described the decision as confirmation of strong Polish-American relations.
