US President Donald Trump said on Thursday the United States is ready to deploy an additional 5,000 troops to Poland, saying the decision was based on his relationship with nationalist Polish President Karol Nawrocki.
“Based on the successful election of Karol Nawrocki, the current President of Poland, whom I am proud to support, and our relationship with him, I am pleased to announce that the United States will send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social.
US troops in Europe: contradictory messages
Trump’s announcement comes just two days after the Pentagon said it was reducing the number of US Army Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs) in Europe from four to three.
Sean Parnell, chief Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement that the US was withdrawing its military presence on the continent as a result of a “comprehensive, multi-layered process” designed to “advance President Trump’s America First agenda in Europe and other theaters, including encouraging and enabling our NATO allies to take primary responsibility for the conventional defense of Europe.”
Vice President J.D. Vance also told reporters earlier this week that there had been a delay in the deployment of U.S. troops to Poland, with Parnell confirming the “temporary delay” resulted from a shortage of brigade combat teams in Europe.
Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosyniak-Kamycz had earlier denied that Poland would be affected by the reduction of US troops in Europe, saying: “The number of US troops in Poland is not being reduced.”
His deputy, Czerny Tomczyk, also said that any redeployment or redeployment of US troops would affect Poland but not Germany, adding: “Poland is constantly working on strengthening the US military presence.”
Earlier in May, amid an open dispute between Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the US had announced the withdrawal of 5,000 troops from Germany. Meraz said Iran was “humiliating” the United States at the negotiating table, drawing Trump’s anger.
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Trump hosted Nawrocki at the White House last May and endorsed him at a key moment ahead of the Polish election, in which the nationalist politician defeated the candidate from Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s centrist, pro-European party.
“President Trump said ‘You will win,'” Nawrocki told private broadcaster TV Republica at the time. “I read it as a wish for my success in the upcoming elections… And after this whole day I can say that the US administration knows what is happening in Poland.”
Trump met with Nawrocki again in September when he said the US could increase its military presence in Poland and promised to safeguard the country’s defence.
Poland is a key member of NATO and has one of the largest and best-funded militaries in Europe, spending about 4.48% of its GDP on defense – the largest in the alliance, according to NATO 2025 data.
Edited by: Rana Taha