The U.S. Army has canceled the planned deployment of more than 4,000 soldiers to Poland, days after the Pentagon announced troop reductions in Europe.
An Army official confirmed the decision to the U.S. media on Wednesday but provided no details. The War Department has not yet confirmed the news.
The 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, based at Fort Hood, Texas, had been set to replace another 1st Cavalry Division brigade as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, the U.S.-led mission to bolster NATO’s presence in Central and Eastern Europe following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
According to reports, advanced personnel from the unit were already in Europe to coordinate with the brigade they were set to replace, and equipment was already in transit for what was expected to be a nine-month rotation, when the Pentagon halted the deployment through a War Department memo issued May 1.
The cancellation comes after the White House announced plans to withdraw about 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany.
President Donald Trump made the decision after European allies declined to join his campaign against Iran.
He had earlier criticized European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, for not providing support to the U.S. in the conflict.
Trump also recently announced plans to raise tariffs on cars and trucks from the European Union after European countries declined to heed his call for support in the Iran conflict.
