Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth canceled the long-planned deployment of 4,000 U.S. troops — an armored brigade from Fort Hood — to Poland for a nine-month rotation, citing Trump's frustration with European allies' refusal to back his Iran war. The problem: Germany, not Poland, was the European ally Trump was angry at. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had publicly criticized Trump's Iran strategy, saying “the Iranians are clearly stronger than expected, and the Americans clearly have no truly convincing strategy in the negotiations either. A whole nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership.” Poland had said nothing.
The cancellation triggered backlash on both sides of the Atlantic. Sen. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) called it “a slap in the face to Poland. It's a slap in the face to our Baltic friends.” Poland's Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Zalewski offered to host U.S. forces on a permanent basis and pay for the construction. Trump then phoned Hegseth, reportedly furious, and on Thursday night announced a public reversal on Truth Social: an additional 5,000 troops would be sent to Poland, citing Polish President Karol Nawrocki — whose election Trump had endorsed.
The Pentagon insisted Trump and Hegseth were “in lockstep.” Spokesperson Sean Parnell said the two “communicate constantly and are in lockstep regarding U.S. troop movements in Europe.” The phone call and the public reversal suggest otherwise — and add to a documented pattern of Hegseth-led decisions Trump has personally overridden.