Trump settles controversy: 5,000 U.S. troops to Poland
US President Donald Trump has settled the controversy over the deployment of additional US troops to Poland, announcing in a post on his platform "Truth Social": "I am pleased to announce that the United States will send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland."
Trump explained that his decision is based on his direct relationship with Polish President Karol Nawrotsky, stressing that this step comes within the framework of strengthening military cooperation between the two countries.
U.S. officials last week talked about scrapping a plan to deploy 4,000 troops to Poland, a move seen at the time as part of the Trump administration's policy of troop cuts and punishing some NATO allies for not supporting Washington in the war with Iran.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said Tuesday that the release had been postponed and not canceled, noting that Trump had not made a final decision at the time
The latest announcement ended the ambiguity, confirming that Washington would strengthen its military presence in Poland by sending an additional 5,000 troops, the largest deployment of U.S. troops in the country since the start of the war with Iran.
U.S.-Polish relations
The U.S.-Poland relationship is one of the strongest bilateral relations in Europe, with Washington and Warsaw as strategic allies within NATO, with a U.S. military presence of nearly 10,000 troops in Poland, and massive Polish defense investments exceeding $50 billion that include the purchase of U.S. equipment including Abrams tanks, fighter jets, helicopters, and missiles.
Formal diplomatic relations between the two countries began in 1919 after Poland's independence, and Polish leaders such as Tadeusz Kosciuszko and Kazimir Pulaski contributed to the American Revolution, establishing strong historical ties, and since the fall of communism in 1989, Poland has become one of the most prominent European allies of the United States.
Poland is one of the most committed countries to NATO and invests about $15,000 per year for each American soldier to ensure their survival on its territory, and it is considered the most supportive European ally of the United States, and often adopts Washington's positions on international issues, and the Trump administration has linked the strengthening or reduction of American forces in Poland to the level of European allies' support for American policies, especially in the war with Iran.
5,000 U.S. troops withdrawn from Germany
On Saturday, May 2, 2026, Trump announced a decision to withdraw about 5,000 US troops from forces stationed in Germany, in a move that was described as one of the most significant shifts in the US military posture inside Europe since 2022.
Trump has also hinted at the possibility of withdrawing troops from Italy and Spain, accusing the two countries of not providing enough support in the conflict with Iran.
The U.S. decision stipulated that the withdrawal would take place within a period of 6 to 12 months, and the withdrawing force reportedly represents about 15 percent of the total U.S. forces in Germany, which number between 35,000 and 40,000 troops.
The announcement coincided with diplomatic tension between Washington and Berlin, against the backdrop of disagreements over the US-Israel war with Iran after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's remarks in which he considered that the Iranian leadership was "humiliating the United States" angered Trump, who responded with public accusations on his platform "Truth Social".
The withdrawal brought the size of U.S. forces in Europe back to pre-2022 levels, before the military presence was strengthened following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.