Col. Jorge Fonseca, the first commander of U.S. Army Garrison Poland, unfurls the unit’s colors during a ceremony March 21, 2023, in Poznan that was attended by high-level U.S. and Polish military officials. (John Vandiver/Stars and Stripes)
STUTTGART, Germany — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he is open to deploying more troops to Poland, a country that has long sought a larger American military presence to deter potential Russian aggression.
“We’ll put more there if they want,” Trump said, adding “we’re with Poland all the way, and we will help Poland protect itself.”
Trump’s comments came during a meeting at the White House with Polish President Karol Nawrocki, who was in Washington to solidify the U.S.’s military commitment to Poland.
The U.S. has about 8,000 troops in Poland, mostly on a rotational basis. Trump’s assurances to the central European country come amid uncertainty about the United State’s future military plans in Europe.
The Pentagon is close to wrapping up a force posture review that is likely to have implications for missions in Europe and elsewhere. Key players inside the Pentagon have advocated for a stronger military focus in the Pacific to counter China, which could come at the cost of the Europe mission.
Inside NATO, some allies have been anticipating potentially significant cuts, with some estimates in the range of 20,000 troops being withdrawn.
Trump acknowledged that he has considered drawing back, but did not say where or how much. While Poland was off the table, Trump said “we do think about it with regard to other countries.”
The U.S. has about 80,000 troops in Europe, with Germany hosting the largest number. During Trump’s first term he sought to relocate about 12,000 troops out of Germany.
But in June, during a meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House, Trump said he was willing to keep American forces in the country.
Other European countries where the U.S. has significant troop numbers include the United Kingdom, Italy, Romania and Spain. Several other nations play host to U.S. forces in smaller numbers.
If the Defense Department reduces its European force posture, it would need to weigh whether to pull back on rotations, cut into its permanently based presence or opt for a combination of the two.
U.S. officials have said that if a reduction happens, it would be carried out in an orderly manner.
U.S. ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker told reporters in June that he would work closely with the Pentagon and allies “to address the impact of any decisions.” He said the U.S. also will make sure there are “no security gaps in defense capabilities” should it change its force posture.
