Trump reverses Poland troop move within days

“It is a dramatic policy shift that has repeatedly caught Poland’s leadership off guard, despite the country being one of Washington’s closest allies in Europe.”

That was The New York Times’ verdict after U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the United States would send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland.

The announcement came only eight days after Trump effectively reversed a Pentagon decision to cancel a planned deployment to the country. The rapid change has renewed scrutiny of a security policy critics say is often driven by short-term political considerations and personal relationships, leaving allies uncertain about Washington’s long-term commitments.

The Pentagon on May 13 abruptly scrapped plans to deploy a 4,000-member U.S. Army brigade to Poland. The decision quickly drew criticism because equipment for the unit had already arrived in the country and soldiers had spent months preparing for the mission. Concern was voiced not only by Democrats but also by Republican lawmakers.

The administration moved to calm the backlash. Vice President J.D. Vance said Wednesday that the deployment had been delayed rather than canceled, describing the change as routine. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth later spoke with Poland’s prime minister and stressed that the United States continues to maintain a strong military presence in the country.

Trump’s announcement of additional troop deployments followed a week of criticism over the earlier cancellation. ABC News, citing a Polish official, reported that Warsaw’s diplomatic efforts in Washington helped avert the troop reduction originally under consideration.

The administration has yet to provide details on the newly announced deployment, including where the 5,000 troops will come from or how they will be stationed.

The move stands in sharp contrast to Washington’s recent approach toward Germany. The Trump administration previously abandoned plans to deploy units equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles and announced a reduction of 5,000 U.S. troops stationed there. The decision was widely interpreted as a response to Berlin’s reluctance to support U.S. policy toward Iran. Poland’s relationship with Trump appears to have played a different role.

Trump pointed Thursday to the election of Karol Nawrocki, a political ally, as one reason for the additional deployment. Nawrocki, a staunch conservative who opposes refugee resettlement policies, is often compared to Trump because of his political views and rhetoric.

Poland has also become one of NATO’s biggest defense spenders. Last year it devoted 4.48% of gross domestic product to defense, putting it close to the 5% target Trump has repeatedly urged alliance members to meet.


Jin-Woo Shin niceshin@donga.com