In an apparent U-turn, President Donald Trump says the US will send an extra 5,000 troops to Poland, a week after the Pentagon cancelled a planned deployment of 4,000 troops to the country.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte welcomed the move, adding Europe’s strategy of becoming less reliant on the US “will continue”.
Trump said the decision was based on the US’s relationship with Polish President Karol Nawrocki, whom he backed during presidential elections last year.
He did not give further details on the makeup of the troops or whether they were part of the previous planned deployment from Texas. .
US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio on Friday said: “In the meantime there are other areas where we continue with cooperation,” he added – citing the Poland announcement.
Ahead of the meeting, the BBC asked Rubio about unconfirmed reports the US could shrink its total troop numbers available in the event of an attack on a NATO country. He said “some of those issues” will be discussed at the summit, but Trump remained very upset and disappointed with NATO Allies.
Earlier this month, the US announced it would withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany after a row between Trump and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over the war with Iran.
Nawrocki has long been a staunch Trump supporter and earned his endorsement before winning Poland’s presidential election.
The Polish president told BBC that Trump was the only world leader capable of stopping Vladimir Putin and ending the war in Ukraine.
Even after Trump criticized NATO’s European Allies, Nawrocki insisted the US was still the guarantor of security in Europe.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called last week’s cancellation “a temporary delay” and said US will continue to retains “a strong military presence” in Poland.
