US lawmakers criticize Pentagon over halted Poland troop deployment

US lawmakers from both parties have sharply criticized the Pentagon after it cancelled the planned deployment of thousands of American troops to Poland, a key NATO ally bordering Ukraine.

According to a report by broadcaster TVP World, the move followed confirmation that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had halted the routine rotational deployment of around 4,000 US soldiers from Texas, who had been due to begin a nine-month tour in Poland.

Poland plays a major role in NATO’s military presence on the alliance’s eastern flank amid continuing security concerns linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the decision came after a “comprehensive, multilayered process” and denied it had been made suddenly.

However, several senior lawmakers rejected that explanation. Republican Congressman Don Bacon said Polish officials had not been informed in advance and described the decision as “a slap in the face” to both Poland and the Baltic states.

Speaking during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on May 15, Bacon criticized the Pentagon’s handling of the matter, while committee chairman Mike Rogers said Congress had not been properly consulted. “We’re not happy,” he said.

Democratic Congressman Eugene Vindman argued the move may have breached US law, saying Congress had set minimum troop levels for Europe and required the Pentagon to report such changes.

Another senior Democrat, Adam Smith, described the cancellation as “deeply frustrating” and possibly unlawful.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Friday the move was “purely logistical” and posed no threat to national security.

“I received assurances that these decisions are of a logistical nature and will not directly affect deterrence capabilities or our security,” Tusk told reporters. “Everything is under control.”