Vance Says US Troop Deployment to Poland Has Been Delayed

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on May 19 that a planned U.S. troop deployment to Poland has been delayed and that it was not accurate to say the troops were being withdrawn from ‌Europe.

Last week, the Pentagon and the Polish defense minister said that the United States had decided not to proceed with the temporary deployment of 4,000 extra U.S. troops to Poland.

The decision followed the Pentagon’s May 1 announcement that it would reduce the U.S. military presence in Germany by 5,000 soldiers.

Vance said at a May 19 White House briefing that he wants to encourage Europe to “take more ownership” of ​the common defense.

“We’re not talking about pulling every single American troop out ⁠of Europe. We’re talking about shifting some resources around in a way that maximizes ​American security. I don’t think that’s bad for Europe,” he said.

“We’ve not reduced the troop levels in Poland ​by 4,000 troops. What we did is that we delayed a troop deployment that was going to go to ‌Poland, ⁠that’s not a reduction, that’s just a standard delay in rotation that sometimes happens in these situations.”

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell on Tuesday confirmed a “temporary delay” and said it was the result of a reduction in the number of brigade combat teams assigned to Europe, from four to three.

This decision was “the result of a comprehensive, multilayered process focused on U.S. force posture in Europe,” Parnell said in a May 19 statement.

“The Department will determine the final disposition of these and other U.S. forces in Europe based on further analysis of U.S. strategic and operational requirements, as well as our allies’ own ability to contribute forces toward Europe’s defense,” he added.

Parnell also said that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth spoke with Polish Deputy Prime Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz on ⁠Tuesday, ​adding “the Department will remain in close contact with our Polish counterparts as this analysis proceeds, including to ensure that the United States retains a strong military presence in Poland.”

As of late 2025, there were ​85,000 U.S. troops in Europe, of whom more than 35,000 were stationed in Germany.

Poland is among the biggest spenders on defense in Europe, and earlier this month, Kosiniak-Kamysz said NATO members should bring the 5 percent target forward by five years to 2030.

European countries have been increasing defense spending after U.S. President Donald Trump said NATO countries must increase defense spending to 5 percent of GDP (gross domestic product), up from the current 2 percent goal.

Currently, no NATO member state dedicates 5 percent of its GDP to defense spending. According to 2024 NATO data, the closest to the target is Poland at 4.12 percent. Several countries, including Italy and Canada, still fall short of the current 2 percent target.

Last year, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said his country aims to raise defense spending to 3.5 percent by 2030, a larger and faster ramp-up than previously planned.

Sweden had maintained a policy of military nonalignment. In March 2024, it formally ended this policy by joining NATO.

Norway reached the 2 percent defense spending target in 2024 and plans to double current spending levels by 2036.

Spain has refused to increase NATO spending.

Last year, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Spain reached a deal with NATO to be excluded from a 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) defense spending target.

“Spain will, therefore, not spend 5 percent of its GDP on defense, but its participation, weight, and legitimacy in NATO remain intact,” Sánchez said in a televised address on June 22.

In March, Spanish leaders blocked the use of their military bases for U.S. forces to support operations against Iran.

Reuters, Chris Summers, and Ryan Morgan contributed to this report.