Trump Pledges 5,000 Additional US Troops to Poland in Policy Reversal

President Donald Trump announced he will deploy an additional 5,000 US troops to Poland, a dramatic reversal days after the Pentagon halted a planned rotation of forces to the largest NATO ally on the eastern flank.

“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 said on Truth Social.

It was not immediately clear whether the deployment would be rotational or permanent, or if it was linked to Trump’s earlier decision to pull 5,000 troops from Germany. Approximately 10,000 US troops are currently stationed in Poland.

The announcement marks a sharp U-turn from the Pentagon’s decision earlier this week to delay a rotation of 4,000 troops from the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division to Poland as part of a broader review of US force posture in Europe.

Vice President JD Vance defended the original delay as recently as Wednesday, telling a Polish reporter that Washington wanted Europe to take greater responsibility for its own defense and adding “Poland is capable of defending itself with a lot of support from the United States.” He criticized the media for “overreacting” over what he called “a very minor thing” and “a standard delay.”

The original decision caught Warsaw by surprise and prompted anxious reactions from top Polish leaders worried about Russia’s assertive stance amid the ongoing 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, following weeks of tense relations between the Trump administration and European allies over their refusal to participate in the Iran war.

Rubio said on Thursday that Trump was “very disappointed” in alliance members that denied the US use of bases on their territory for the war, singling out Spain in particular.

“You have countries like Spain denying us the use of these bases – well then why are you in Nato? That’s a very fair question,” Rubio told reporters in Miami. “In fairness, other countries in Nato have been very helpful. But we need to discuss that.”

Trump has fiercely criticized NATO members for not doing more to support the US-Israeli military campaign.

He has said he is considering withdrawing from the alliance and questioned whether Washington was bound to honor its mutual defense pact.

NATO officials have stressed that the US did not ask the 32-member alliance to take part in the Iran war, but many members have honored commitments to allow US forces to use their airspace and bases.

European concerns about Trump’s attitude toward NATO were exacerbated this year by his push to acquire Greenland, a territory of fellow NATO member Denmark.

Over the years, Poland has positioned itself as a top US ally in Europe, with troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, and leading defense spending among European NATO members.

Announcing the additional troops, Trump praised his relationship with Poland’s conservative President Karol Nawrocki, who unexpectedly won last year’s presidential election after being hosted by Trump at the White House and receiving his endorsement.

Despite the announcement being made late in the evening in Europe, Nawrocki quickly thanked Trump “for his friendship towards Poland … the practical dimension of which we see very clearly today.”

“I stand and will continue to stand guard over the Polish-American alliance – a vital pillar of security for every Polish home and for all of Europe,” Nawrocki said.

Poland’s Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said Trump’s decision “confirms the Polish-American relations are very strong, and that Poland is a model and ironclad ally.”

Earlier this week, Kosiniak-Kamysz sought urgent talks with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to get clarity on the original delay, telling reporters he hoped “all misunderstandings, or media noise, will be explained in the coming days.”