Polish defense chief: U.S. to put military troops back in rotation in Poland

July 6 (UPI) -- Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosinak-Kamysz said Monday that the United States will send military troops back to Poland in the coming weeks.

The Pentagon suspended a plan to send 4,000 troops to Poland in November, which drew criticism from Republicans and Democrats.

"The rotational presence of American troops in Poland, which was suspended a few weeks ago, is being resumed," Kosinak-Kamysz said at an event in Bydgoszcz, Poland. "It will continue, and in the coming weeks this process will be fully implemented."

After receiving criticism for pausing on sending troops to Poland, President Donald Trump told lawmakers he would send 5,000 troops. However, that did not happen, leading some Republicans to say they would vote against his request for $88 billion for the war with Iran.

"The president's directed it, but he's not done it, so I'd like to see him act on that," Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said last month.

Bacon is a member of the House Armed Services Committee.

Kosinak-Kamysz was speaking at an event to sign a deal for Poland to produce cruise missiles for the United States. He said the rotation of American troops has been confirmed by the deputy U.S. ambassador and U.S. military diplomat to Poland.

Marcin Przydacz, foreign policy adviser to Polish President Karol Nawrocki, said last week that he believes the 5,000 troops Trump pledged to send would be replacing troops stationed in Poland, not adding to the total headcount. However, it remains unclear how the new rotation will work.

There are about 10,000 troops currently stationed in Poland.

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This story was originally published July 6, 2026 at 4:58 PM.