The United States Suddenly Cancels Deployment of Over 4,000 U.S. Troops to Poland

On May 15, Xinhua News Agency reported from Washington (reporters Huang Qiang and Xu Jianmei) that multiple U.S. media outlets reported on the 15th that the Pentagon suddenly canceled plans to deploy a U.S. military force of more than 4,000 troops to Poland this month.

Acting Army Chief of Staff Christopher Cavoli stated during a congressional hearing that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the cancellation of the planned nine-month rotation deployment of the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Cavalry Division to Poland, and that U.S. European Command "has received instructions to reduce troop levels." He also mentioned that this deployment plan was officially canceled earlier this week.

According to Defense News, this unit had completed pre-deployment preparations on May 1, sent out an advance party, and started transporting equipment overseas. Pentagon officials indicated that U.S. soldiers who had arrived in Poland were instructed to "return to Fort Hood in Texas as soon as possible."

U.S. media, citing several American officials, reported that the cancellation of this deployment mission was due to Secretary Austin signing a memorandum directing the Joint Chiefs of Staff to withdraw a brigade-sized unit from Europe. This memorandum also led to the cancellation of plans for a field artillery battalion to be deployed to Germany in the near future.

CNN reported that Secretary Austin's decision was related to the U.S. government's pressure on European countries to increase defense spending.

During a media interview on the 2nd, U.S. President Trump stated that the U.S. plans to significantly reduce the number of U.S. troops stationed in Germany, with the number of troops to be withdrawn "greatly exceeding" the 5,000 announced by the Pentagon on the 1st. Some critics believe that the troop withdrawal is intended as retaliation against NATO allies that did not join the U.S. in military actions against Iran.