Media: Pentagon stunned as defence chief cancels troop deployment to Poland

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth’s last-minute decision to cancel the deployment of 4,000 troops to Poland has caught Pentagon staff and European allies by surprise, marking the latest in a series of abrupt personnel moves that have unsettled both sides of the Atlantic, POLITICO reports.

It was not immediately clear why Hegseth issued the order, according to three defence officials familiar with the matter. President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed anger and frustration with European allies over their handling of the Iran war, although he has described Poland as a “model ally” due to its high defence spending.

The decision came even as troops and equipment had already begun arriving in Poland, triggering concern in European capitals and within the Pentagon over potential strategic implications and whether Russia could be emboldened.

“We had no idea this was coming,” said one US official, adding that American and European counterparts have spent the past 24 hours seeking clarity and assessing whether further unexpected changes may follow.

The move follows Hegseth’s earlier announcement that the Pentagon would withdraw 5,000 troops from bases in Germany, a decision linked to a prior warning by Trump after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the United States was “humiliating” itself in relation to the Iran conflict.

The 4,000 Texas-based troops had been preparing for a long-planned nine-month rotational deployment to Poland, including NATO training exercises, when the cancellation order was issued. Analysts say the decision is unusual given that US forces in Europe are widely seen as a key deterrent against Russia.

The Army’s role in Europe “is all about deterring the Russians, protecting America’s strategic interests and assuring allies,” said Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, former commander of the US Army in Europe. “And now a very important asset that was coming to be part of that deterrence is gone.”

The White House referred questions to the Pentagon, which defended the move as part of a structured process.

“The decision to withdraw troops follows a comprehensive, multilayered process that incorporates perspectives from key leaders in [US military in Europe] and across the chain of command,” said acting Pentagon press secretary Joel Valdez. “This was not an unexpected, last minute decision.”

However, officials said the broader strategy remains unclear. The partial drawdown in Germany is still under review, representing a limited reduction of the 38,000 US troops stationed there, but signaling potential consequences for allies who publicly disagree with Washington.

“The Poles certainly have never criticized President Trump, and they do all the things that good allies are supposed to do,” said Hodges. “And yet, this happens.”

Polish officials reacted with mixed messages. Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said, “This matter does not concern Poland,” adding it was part of a broader realignment of US forces in Europe.

The Pentagon has recently reviewed global troop deployments, though the findings are not expected to be published. While officials say there is no plan for a major European withdrawal, the National Defence Strategy calls for shifting resources elsewhere and placing greater responsibility for European security on European states.

Earlier, the Pentagon also declined to replace an Army brigade scheduled to leave Romania, drawing criticism in Congress.

“This is a major challenge to Europe’s security and a severely disrupting way of shifting responsibility to Europeans,” said Joel Linnainmäki, a former Finnish official. “For allies next to Russia it will have to change their calculus.”

A senior NATO official said rotational deployments are not central to long-term alliance planning. “We know that the US is working to adjust its posture in Europe,” the official said. “And we’re already seeing increasing presence on the eastern flank from Canada and Germany, all of which contributes to a stronger NATO overall.”

The official added that France and Germany currently maintain about 5,000 troops on NATO’s eastern flank, with numbers expected to rise in the coming year.

By Vafa Guliyeva