President Trump will send 5,000 US troops to Poland.
US President Donald Trump announced he would send 5,000 troops to Poland, reversing an earlier decision to cancel the deployment, amid Washington's pressure on Europe to shoulder more of the continent's defense burden.
According to AFP, US President Donald Trump announced on May 21 (Washington time) that he would deploy 5,000 troops to Poland. This move reversed earlier information from Washington about canceling the troop deployment plan, amid US pressure on Europe to become self-reliant in defense.
President Trump said the decision stemmed from his personal relationship with Polish President Karol Nawrocki, a nationalist ally. The American leader asserted that he had been "proud to have supported" Nawrocki in last year's election, which the Polish president won.
"I am pleased to announce that the United States will deploy an additional 5,000 troops to Poland," President Trump wrote on the social media platform Truth Social.
Although President Trump did not provide details, his statement appeared to be a direct reference to the deployment of thousands of troops to Poland a few days earlier.
Last week, U.S. officials revealed that the deployment of 4,000 troops to Poland had been canceled. This is seen as the latest move by the Trump administration to cut troop numbers and punish NATO allies for not supporting the U.S. in the war in Iran.
However, on May 19, Vice President JD Vance issued a clarification. He stated that the deployment of 4,000 troops was only delayed, not canceled, and emphasized that President Donald Trump had not yet made a "final decision." Nevertheless, Vance affirmed that Europe must "stand on its own two feet," aligning with President Trump's view of urging allies to share more of the defense burden.
According to observers, President Trump has shown determination in punishing allies who have not supported the war in the Middle East. Washington has also expressed dissatisfaction with partners refusing to contribute to peacekeeping forces in the Strait of Hormuz.
In early May, the Pentagon announced that Washington would withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany. This decision came shortly after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz made statements suggesting that Iran was "humiliating the US" at the negotiating table.
