US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that the United States will send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland. This decision reverses a move from last week when US officials stated that a planned deployment of 4,000 troops had been scrapped.
Trump said he made the decision based on the election of the right-wing Polish President Karol Nawrocki, who thanked the US President for the deployment. In a recent call, Trump questioned Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about why the previous deployment to Poland had been canceled.
The announcement follows weeks of changing statements from the administration regarding the American military footprint in Europe, leaving European leaders reeling and stirring confusion. The turnabout occurs as Washington presses Europe to shoulder more of its own defense burden and after Trump fiercely criticized NATO members for not doing more to help the US.
NATO chief Mark Rutte welcomed the news of the troop deployment. The Pentagon is required to keep at least 76,000 troops and major equipment in Europe unless NATO allies are consulted.