Pentagon Faces Backlash Over Halted US Troop Deployment to Poland

(MENAFN) American lawmakers from both major political parties have expressed strong concern after the Pentagon decided to stop a scheduled military deployment to Poland involving several thousand US troops, according to reports.

The criticism emerged after confirmation that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved the cancellation of a routine rotation that would have sent roughly 4,000 soldiers from Texas to Poland for a planned nine-month assignment.

Poland remains one of NATO’s most strategically important members along the alliance’s eastern border, particularly as security tensions linked to the conflict in Ukraine continue.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell defended the move, saying the decision resulted from a “comprehensive, multilayered process” and rejected suggestions that it had been taken abruptly.

Still, several prominent lawmakers disputed that explanation. Republican Representative Don Bacon said Polish authorities were not warned ahead of time and called the decision “a slap in the face” to Poland as well as the Baltic nations.

During a House Armed Services Committee session held on May 15, Bacon also criticized how the Pentagon managed the issue. Committee chairman Mike Rogers said lawmakers had not received proper consultation before the move was made. “We’re not happy,” he said.

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