Trump says he may relocate 5,000 US troops to Poland after previously pledging withdrawal from Germany

Prefer on Google by Dmytro Basmat U.S. President Donald Trump (R) welcomes Polish President Karol Nawrocki on Sept. 3, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) U.S. President Donald Trump floated the idea of relocating 5,000 troops to Poland after previously vowing to withdraw U.S. forces from Germany. Responding to reporters' questions on May 8 on the matter, Trump said it was "possible" that he would make the shift, citing stronger relations with Poland's leadership. "Poland would like that. We have a great relationship with Poland. I have a great relationship with the President," Trump said. "(President Karol Nawrocki ) is a great fighter, he's a great guy, I like him a lot, so that's possible" Trump added. "I might." The comments from the U.S. president come a week after the U.S. Department of Defense announced on May 1 that the United States will withdraw about 5,000 troops from Germany, a key NATO ally, amid rising tensions between Washington and Berlin over the war in Iran. Trump had previously threatened to withdraw U.S. forces after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized Washington's handling of the Iran war. "An entire nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership, especially by these so-called Revolutionary Guards. And so I hope that this ends as quickly as possible," Merz remarked ahead of the decision to withdraw troops — with Trump responding by calling Merz "totally ineffective." The Pentagon said the withdrawal is expected to take place over the next six to 12 months. The reduction would bring U.S. troop levels in Europe back to pre-2022 levels, when President Joe Biden increased deployments in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine . Trump's comments come just days after Nawrocki appeared to welcome the prospects of receiving additional U.S. troops. "We already have the infrastructure in place, and it is in the interests of Poland, Lithuania and the Baltic states for as many American troops as possible to be stationed here," the Polish president said. Immediately following the announcement of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Germany, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the move signaled "a disastrous trend" in transatlantic relations. Germany hosts the largest U.S. military presence in Europe, with about 35,000 active-duty personnel, and serves as a central hub for training and logistics. The country's Defense Ministry on April 22 unveiled a plan to scale up the armed forces over the next several years, growing into Europe's strongest army in response to increased threats from Russia. Trump has faced muted criticism from European leaders as he continues reshaping U.S. foreign policy, while critics have raised concerns about Washington’s commitment to NATO’s collective defense principles.