Trump sends 5,000 troops to Poland after reversing Hegseth pause

President Trump overruled Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's decision to halt a troop deployment to Poland, announcing 5,000 additional US forces would head to the Central European ally as Warsaw maintains the highest defense spending in NATO.

Trump said Thursday he was "pleased to announce" the deployment on Truth Social, citing the election of Polish President Karol Nawrocki, a conservative nationalist who won the runoff in June 2025. The announcement came a week after Hegseth paused the planned rotation of 4,000 troops from the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division — a move that caught US military leaders in Europe off guard and drew sharp criticism from Republican defense hawks in Congress.

"The United States will be sending an additional 5,000 Troops to Poland," Trump wrote, adding that the decision was "based on the successful Election of the now President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, who I was proud to Endorse."

House Armed Services Committee Chair Mike Rogers told Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and acting Army Chief of Staff Gen. Christopher LaNeve during a hearing last week that the panel was "not happy" about the pause. "We don't know what's going on here, but I just tell you we're not happy with what's being talked about, particularly since there's been no statutory consultation with us," Rogers said. Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon called it "a slap in the face to Poland" and "a slap in the face to our Baltic friends."

Vice President JD Vance dismissed the criticism Tuesday, calling the paused deployment "a very small and very minor thing" and accusing European media of "overreacting." He said it was "reasonable for Europe to take a little bit more ownership over its continental integrity."

Poland spends 4.8% of its gross domestic product on defense, the highest share among NATO members, and has not criticized the US military campaign against Iran — a factor that set it apart from Germany, where Chancellor Friedrich Merz's public criticism of the Iran war prompted the Pentagon to announce the withdrawal of 5,000 US troops earlier this month. Around 10,000 US service members are already stationed in Poland, most on rotational deployments of several months.

Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby said he had a "productive" meeting with Polish Secretary of State Pawel Zalewski, calling Poland "a model ally and a leader among our allies" and emphasizing that the US is "driving real burden-sharing for a European-led conventional defense."

LaNeve's Rise to Army Chief

The troop reversal unfolded as Gen. Christopher LaNeve, the acting Army chief who testified alongside Driscoll at last week's hearing, is expected to be nominated as the Army's next chief of staff pending Trump's final approval, according to US officials. LaNeve has been a four-star general for only three months since his confirmation as vice chief on Feb. 6 — less experience than most predecessors, who typically serve at least 18 months in a four-star role before assuming the top position.

LaNeve, a University of Arizona ROTC graduate who served multiple tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, impressed Trump during a video call at an inaugural ball in January when the president called him "central casting." Hegseth, who has fired or sidelined at least eight senior Army generals since becoming Pentagon chief, said LaNeve has his "full support" and described him as "decisive, focused on strengthening our Army, and not interested in playing politics in Washington."

The nomination could face scrutiny from lawmakers who have raised questions about LaNeve's involvement in the Army's response to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot, when he served as the liaison between the Army and the National Guard as director of operations. A 2021 memo by Col. Earl Matthews — now the Pentagon's general counsel under Hegseth — alleged that LaNeve and another general covered up an hourslong delay in the Army's response, though the Defense Department's inspector general found no wrongdoing by department or Army officials.

The dual developments — Trump's troop reversal and LaNeve's expected nomination — signal the administration's approach to European defense: rewarding allies that align with Washington's strategic priorities while demanding greater burden-sharing. Poland, which shares a border with Ukraine and views US troops as a deterrent against Russia, has positioned itself as Washington's most reliable partner on the continent, spending nearly double NATO's 2% GDP target on defense.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.