Donald Trump posted an unexpected statement late on Thursday evening, Polish time, on his social media platform Truth Social.
"In view of the electoral success of the current president of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, whom I proudly endorsed, and our relations with him, I am pleased to announce that the United States will send to Poland an additional 5,000 troops," Trump wrote.
Shock on both sides of the Atlantic
The decision took both the Polish authorities and the US administration itself equally by surprise.
US media report that Trump is thought not to have consulted anyone before taking this step.
The New York Times points out that the Pentagon was not informed of the president’s decision. The paper reports that "the Department of Defense is referring questions on this matter to the White House" and is not commenting.
The Politico website, citing anonymous sources in the governments in Warsaw and Washington, says that no such decision was expected in either of the two capitals and that this is not all – Trump is said to have failed to say anything about it to other allies, including NATO members.
Unexpected, but the right decision
"This is good news for Poland and our Baltic allies. I am glad that the President has reversed the Defense Secretary’s decision to withdraw the brigade from Poland. Poland is keeping its promises and deserves our close cooperation," Republican congressman Don Bacon, previously highly critical of US troop movements in Poland, commented on X.
Daniel Fried, a US diplomat and former American ambassador to Poland, takes a similar view.
"A good decision by Trump and those who worked to reverse initial bad intentions. Good for NATO’s security. Even better if the stationing/rotation of US forces in Europe is based on solid plans rather than politics," he noted in a post on X.
He also raised some tactical doubts. "The question remains where the 5,000 troops for Poland will come from. Implementing a delayed rotation would be one way. But a politically motivated reshuffle of forces is also possible."
Fried stresses that "moving troops mainly to reward or punish leaders, being in or out of favour, is not a good way to make defence decisions". He appears critical of the way the decision was taken, but not of its substance.
The current US ambassador to Poland offered a brief comment on Trump’s decision on Friday morning. "President Trump is a man who keeps his word," he said.
Joe Wilson, a Republican member of the House of Representatives, made no secret of his delight.
He believes that "President Donald Trump will always be appreciated for his bold and historic step in deploying US forces in Poland to deter the war criminal Putin". "Today, another 5,000 troops to establish Peace Through Strength!" Wilson stressed.
There are, however, still no concrete plans from the US administration. The Associated Press, quoting retired diplomat Ian Kelly, reports that "most likely, at the highest levels of government there is a lack of any considered decision-making process regarding issues such as the deployment and manoeuvring of military units. These are not well-calculated decisions."
"These are impulsive moves based on Donald Trump’s moods, or on the moods that, in his advisers’ view, Trump is in," Ian Kelly told the agency.
NATO chief: Commanders are working out the details
"Of course I welcome this announcement," NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told reporters before a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden.
He added that "our military commanders are working out all the details, but I obviously welcome this news".
"But let us be clear: the course we have set is for a stronger Europe and a stronger NATO so that, over time, step by step, we are less dependent on a single ally, as has long been the case with the United States," Rutte said.
Nawrocki says thank you. So does the government in Warsaw, but not effusively
"I thank the President of the United States, Donald Trump, for his friendship towards Poland and for the decisions whose practical impact we can see very clearly today," President Nawrocki wrote on X during the night from Thursday to Friday.
For its part, the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland posted a photo of the two presidents taken during Karol Nawrocki’s visit to the White House last year.
So far, Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his office have not commented on Trump’s words. Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz did, however, post a message of thanks.
"President D. Trump’s decision to send 5,000 additional troops to Poland confirms that Polish–American relations are very strong and that Poland is a model, ironclad ally," the defence minister wrote during the night.
He added that it is "a good thing that we are fighting together for issues that are fundamental to the security of our Homeland. It is a duty that translates into effectiveness."
The interior and administration minister echoed him. "An additional 5,000 US troops will come to Poland. Huge work and an equally huge success for all those for whom the security of the Homeland is a priority," Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said. But his list of people to thank does not include Nawrocki.
The former prime minister and current opposition MP expressed his gratitude to Nawrocki. Mateusz Morawiecki wrote on X that "the president has once again shown that in Poland–US relations, what wins is a tough, consistent approach, not petty politicking. Others could learn from this."
Opposition politicians from Law and Justice are commenting on the matter in the same vein, highlighting President Nawrocki’s contribution, which Trump himself also referred to.
The head of Poland’s National Security Bureau, which reports to the president, adds that he had earlier received some positive signals.
"During Wednesday’s conversation with Elbridge Colby, Under Secretary for Policy at the Department of War, I was told that the issue of strengthening the presence of US forces in Poland would be resolved quickly and to the benefit of Poland and our alliance," Bartosz Grodecki said.
However, as he noted, "such matters are discussed in private. Increasing the US military contingent is excellent news for Poland, strengthening our security and confirming the strength and durability of the Polish–American alliance."
Trump’s decision appears to be a direct consequence of the turmoil that resonated widely and brought significant criticism of the US administration for delaying the rotation of troops stationed in Poland, a move that astonished both the government in Warsaw and the US authorities.
The lack of information and the US side’s evasive explanations triggered a diplomatic offensive by Poland. The Defence Ministry sent deputy ministers to Congress for talks, and the defence minister himself reported a phone call with Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth. The Presidential Palace backed these government efforts.
