Details of Trump's troop decision to be worked out, Polish official says

The practical details of US President Donald Trump’s announcement that the United States will send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland will be worked out in talks between Poland’s defence ministry, military officials and the top commander of US forces in Europe, Polish Deputy Defence Minister Cezary Tomczyk said.

Cezary Tomczyk

Photo: Przemysław Chmielewski/Polish Radio

Trump said on Thursday that the United States would deploy an additional 5,000 troops to Poland. The announcement followed intensive lobbying by Warsaw and bipartisan pressure in Washington over the future of the US military presence in Europe.

"I think the details are still ahead of us," Tomczyk told Poland's PAP news agency. He said Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, the top commander of US forces in Europe, would determine the details together with the Polish defence ministry and the General Staff of the Polish Army.

"That is what we agreed with the Americans," he added.

Tomczyk, who concluded a visit to Washington on Thursday during which he met with White House, Pentagon and congressional officials, said Trump’s announcement appeared to be the result of a "diplomatic offensive" by Poland.

"Our country has many friends in the United States, starting with the president, through Congress and simply among American citizens," he said. "In situations like this, all hands need to be on deck."

He added that Polish officials had agreed during talks at the White House to allow several days for a review of earlier US decisions regarding troop deployments.

"As I said, we have cards in this conversation," Tomczyk said. "That process has just taken place. I thank everyone involved in the government and state’s diplomatic offensive."

Earlier on Thursday, another Polish deputy defence minister, Paweł Zalewski, said after meetings at the Pentagon that US officials had assured him that although Washington planned to reduce its military presence in Europe overall, it would honour Trump’s earlier pledge to Polish President Karol Nawrocki that US military capabilities in Poland would not be reduced.

'Poland walks the talk'

Many commentators interpreted Trump’s social media announcement as a reversal of the Pentagon’s earlier decision to suspend the planned deployment of a US armoured brigade to Poland.

"I'm glad the president reversed the defence secretary’s decision to withdraw the brigade from Poland,” Republican Congressman Don Bacon wrote on X. “Poland walks the talk and deserves our close partnership.”

This is good news for Poland and our Baltic allies. I’m glad the President reversed the SecDef decision to withdraw the Brigade from Poland. Poland walks the talk and deserves our close partnership. pic.twitter.com/PmZhW3ohCl

— Rep. Don Bacon 🇺🇸✈️🏍️⭐️🎖️ (@RepDonBacon) May 21, 2026

Bacon was among the sharpest critics of the Pentagon’s earlier move and had pledged, alongside lawmakers from both parties, to press the US Defence Department to reverse the decision.

Poland, a NATO member bordering Ukraine, views the US military presence as a cornerstone of its security amid Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.

(gs)

Source: IAR, PAP