President Donald Trump declared Thursday the United States will ship an extra 5,000 troops to Poland, an obvious reversal following recent moves by his administration to scale back the variety of US troops in Europe.
The announcement comes one week after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stopped the scheduled deployment of a fight group anticipated to rotate by Poland, a choice his division mentioned was based mostly on frustration with European nations who’ve “not stepped up when America needed them.”
It additionally follows an announcement by Trump earlier this month that he was pulling 5,000 troops from Germany, whose Chancellor Friedrich Merz mentioned the United States was being “humiliated” in its battle with Iran, angering Trump.
In distinction, Trump mentioned the deployment to Poland, a key funnel for European assist to neighboring Ukraine, was based mostly on his good relationship with Warsaw’s right-wing populist President Karol Nawrocki.
“Based on the successful Election of the now President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, who I was proud to Endorse, 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 posted.
It is unclear the place the 5,000 troops that Trump talked about will come from or the way it will change US troop numbers in Europe. The shock announcement creates additional uncertainty concerning the US posture in Europe, after Trump soured on NATO allies who spoke out towards the Iran battle or failed to present what he sees as adequate assist.
Poland is a NATO member and has served as the primary hub for Western military assist flowing into Ukraine since Russia’s invasion in 2022.
In 2023, the US established the US Army Garrison Poland, solidifying its military footprint within the nation. The US usually has about 10,000 troops stationed in Poland.
The Pentagon referred questions to the White House. The White House didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from NCS.
Nawrocki thanked Trump in a post on X Thursday, calling the US-Poland alliance “a vital pillar of security for every Polish home and for all of Europe.”
“Good alliances are those based on cooperation, mutual respect, and a commitment to our shared security,” Nawrocki mentioned.
Nawrocki was elected in June 2025 and visited the Oval Office for a gathering with Trump in September, the place he thanked Trump for his endorsement.
Last week, Hegseth abruptly canceled two US military deployments to Europe and ordered the removing of different personnel from the continent, decreasing the variety of US troops in Europe by roughly 5,000.
A memo signed by Hegseth halted the scheduled deployment of 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, which was anticipated to rotate by Poland and different nations together with the Baltic states and Romania, in accordance to two protection officers. Some personnel from the brigade have been already in Europe and now should redeploy again to the US.
The memo additionally canceled the longer term deployment to Germany of a battalion that makes a speciality of firing long-range rockets and missiles, the protection officers mentioned, and directed {that a} command in Europe overseeing these capabilities be faraway from the continent.
There are roughly 4,700 troopers within the brigade fight group whose deployment to Europe has been canceled, and over 500 troopers within the long-range rocket and missile battalion, one of many protection officers mentioned.
The resolution by the Pentagon to cancel scheduled troop deployments with out consulting Congress prompted criticism by Republican lawmakers, who mentioned Poland was “blindsided.”
Republican Rep. Don Bacon mentioned at a House Armed Services Committee listening to that the choice by Hegseth to cancel the deployments was “reprehensible, it’s an embarrassment to our country what we just did to Poland.”