A planned reduction of US troops in Europe will also affect NATO ally Poland, although only temporarily, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.
The United States will reduce the number of combat brigades stationed in Europe from four to three, returning troop levels to those seen in 2021, Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell said on X.
"This is resulting in a temporary delay of the deployment of U.S. forces to Poland, which is a model U.S. ally," Parnell wrote, without giving further details on the timeline.
There had previously been confusion over the stationing of US troops in Poland. Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a Pentagon official, that the United States was halting the deployment of a combat brigade of 4,000 soldiers. The troops had been expected to deploy to Poland for a planned nine-month mission.
Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said on Tuesday that US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had confirmed that the US commitment to Poland's security remained unchanged. US Vice President JD Vance also said the move was a routine delay in a troop rotation.
Parnell, however, said the deployment would be subject to a broader review. Key considerations included US security challenges as well as the ability of European allies to contribute their own military forces.
The spokesman added that the Pentagon continued to coordinate closely with Poland and would announce further details at a later date.
"Poland has shown both the ability and resolve to defend itself. Other NATO allies should follow suit," Parnell wrote.
