Trump sows confusion with statement on US troops in Poland

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday that the United States will send 5,000 additional troops to Poland, sowing confusion after weeks of changes in statements from Trump and his administration about reducing — not increasing — the U.S. military footprint in Europe.

The Trump administration announced it was reducing troops in Europe by about 5,000 troops, and U.S. officials confirmed that about 4,000 troops were no longer deployed to Poland. Trump’s social media announcement raises more uncertainty for European allies who have been blindsided by the changes, with the administration complaining that NATO members are not shouldering enough of the burden of their own defense and doing more to support the war in Iran.

“Based on the successful election of the current President of Poland, Karol Nawrocki, whom I was proud to endorse, and our relationship with him, I am pleased to announce that the United States will send 5,000 additional troops to Poland,” Trump said on Truth Social.

Trump and the Pentagon announced in recent weeks that they would withdraw at least 5,000 troops to Germany after Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the United States was being “humiliated” by Iranian leaders and criticized what he called a lack of strategy in the war.

Trump then told reporters earlier this month that the United States would “cut spending well beyond 5,000.”

As of last week, some 4,000 soldiers from the Army’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, were no longer en route to Poland. The Associated Press reported that the canceled deployment was part of an effort to comply with Trump’s order to reduce the number of troops in Europe. The deployment to Germany of personnel trained in firing long-range missiles has also been halted.

Democratic and Republican lawmakers criticized the cuts, saying they sent the wrong signal to allies and Russian President Vladimir Putin during Ukraine’s four-year war.

Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska told a congressional hearing that he had spoken with Polish officials and that they were “blindsided.” He called the decision “reprehensible” and said what we just did to Poland was “embarrassing for our country.”

Pentagon chief spokesman Sean Parnell said Tuesday it was a “temporary delay” in the deployment of U.S. forces to Poland, which he called a “model ally of the United States.” He said that was because the United States had reduced the number of brigade combat teams assigned to Europe from four to three and said the Pentagon still had to decide which troops to station and where.

It was unclear whether this meant the brigade would resume its deployment to Poland, whether additional troops could be added to that rotational deployment, or whether there would still be a withdrawal of U.S. troops in Europe but from another country. The Pentagon referred requests for comment to the White House, which did not immediately respond to messages seeking clarification.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Deputy Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby both spoke with their Polish counterparts this week. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Wednesday he was happy to hear “Washington’s declaration that Poland will be treated as it deserves.”

On Tuesday, US General Alexus Grynkewich, commander of US and NATO forces in Europe, told reporters in Brussels that “5,000 troops would come out of Europe.”

Trump’s announcement came as Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled to Sweden to meet with his NATO counterparts, who are questioning the Trump administration’s policy on reducing U.S. troops in Europe.

“There appears to be no process for deliberating policies like troop withdrawal and deployment at the top,” said Ian Kelly, a retired career diplomat who served as U.S. ambassador to Georgia during the Obama and Trump administrations and now teaches international relations at Northwestern University in Illinois.

Kelly said Rubio might struggle to explain Trump’s wild swings to Europeans who crave certainty and consistency, even if they disagree.

“These are not well-considered decisions,” Kelly said. “These are impulsive decisions based on Trump’s whims or what his advisors see as Trump’s whims.”

___ Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos