The Pentagon and the Polish defense minister announced that the United States will not deploy troops to Poland.
Armed Services Chair Mike Rogers (R-AL) implied the move was a suprise, noting that committee members “don’t know what’s going on here, but I can just tell you we’re not happy with what’s being talked about, particularly since there’s been no statutory consultation with us.
Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell pushed back on the claims, quoting Acting Pentagon Press Secretary Joe Valdez as saying, “The decision to withdraw troops follows a comprehensive, multilayered process that incorporates perspectives from key leaders in EUCOM and across the chain of command. This was not an unexpected, last-minute decision, and it would be false to report it as such.”
Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said the matter does not affect Poland. “This issue does not concern Poland—it relates to the previously announced change in the presence of some U.S. armed forces in Europe,” he wrote on X. “The rapidly developing capabilities of the Polish armed forces and the presence of U.S. forces in Poland strengthen NATO’s eastern flank.”
The decision follows the Pentagon’s withdrawal of 5,000 troops from Germany, a move believed to be linked to Iran tensions. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently claimed that Iran “humiliated” the United States in negotiations.
President Trump has taken aim at Merz on Truth Social, where he wrote, “The Chancellor of Germany should spend more time on ending the war with Russia/Ukraine (Where he has been totally ineffective!).” He urged Merz to instead focus on “fixing his broken Country, especially Immigration and Energy, and less time on interfering with those that are getting rid of the Iran Nuclear threat, thereby making the World, including Germany, a safer place!”
