POLAND PERSPECTIVE

Warsaw, May 21, 2026. In a matter of hours, the diplomatic sequence around American troops in Poland has taken a striking turn. On Wednesday evening, US Vice President J.D. Vance confirmed that the deployment planned was delayed. On Thursday, the Pentagon officially canceled the rotation of 4,000 soldiers from a tank brigade — a decision presented as part of a series of reductions in US forces in Europe, including the withdrawal of 5,000 men from Germany announced at the beginning of May. Then, a few hours later, Donald Trump published on Truth Social an announcement in the opposite sense: "In relation to the electoral success of President Nawrocki, whom I have proudly supported, and with our relations with him, I am pleased to announce that the United States will send 5,000 additional soldiers to Poland."

The announcement reverses the dynamics in less than a day. But this brutal turnaround has exposed as much as it has reassured. Because it was not the presidency that managed the crisis: it was the government. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz called the Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth directly on May 19. He received in return the assurance that "no decision to reduce US capabilities in Poland has been taken" and that "Poland can count on the United States". The same day, General Christopher Mahoney, the number two of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, was visiting Warsaw. The Deputy Ministers of Defense Cezary Tomczyk and Paweł Zalewski were going to Washington, meeting with Trump's National Security Adviser Andy Baker as well as officials from the Defense and State Departments.

Meanwhile, President Karol Nawrocki remained relatively invisible. His international affairs chief, Marcin Przydacz, claimed that Nawrocki had exchanged with Trump at the beginning of May and that "commitments remained in force" — while calling on the Ministry of Defense to take "a more active posture". According to the Onet website, Nawrocki would have tried to reach Trump without success. The Presidential Palace did not confirm this information. But if the call had taken place, the Palace's communication channels would have certainly made it public: Nawrocki had made privileged links with MAGA, one of the pillars of his campaign.

Republican Congressman Don Bacon welcomed Trump's decision: "It's good news for Poland and our Baltic allies. I'm glad the President has canceled the Secretary of Defense's decision."