President Trump and Polish President Karol Nawrocki met Wednesday at the White House, celebrating their strong relations and discussing the U.S. military presence in Poland as a way to deter possible threats from Russia.
Roughly 10,000 U.S. personnel are currently on rotation in Poland, according to the State Department.
“We will help Poland protect itself,” Mr. Trump said during an Oval Office meeting with Mr. Nawrocki, adding that U.S. troops will stay and more will come if Poland wants them.
“We’re very much aligned with Poland,” Mr. Trump said. “Never even thought in terms of removing soldiers from Poland.”
Mr. Nawrocki touted the strong U.S.-Poland relationship and said American soldiers in Poland are “the signal” to Russia that “we are together.”
“Our relations are based, of course, on the values,” Mr. Nawrocki said, listing them as independence, sovereignty and democracy.
It was the second time the two conservative presidents had met. But it was Mr. Nawrocki’s first trip overseas since taking office last month.
Mr. Trump previously met with Mr. Nawrocki in May to express support ahead of the election.
Mr. Nawrocki, a historian and former director of the Institute of National Remembrance, is a newcomer to politics. He ran as an independent, but was backed by the right-wing Law and Justice party.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters in May that Mr. Trump predicted he would win because he supports common-sense policies.
“He supported strong borders in Poland. He supported an end to the woke, radical DEI stuff that we’ve seen, not just here in the United States, but really the takeover in Europe and, frankly, the whole world,” Ms. Leavitt said.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem traveled to Poland ahead of the election to make the case for Mr. Nawrocki, saying his election would strengthen ties between Poland and the U.S.
After Mr. Nawrocki was elected, Mr. Trump congratulated him on social media: “TRUMP ALLY WINS IN POLAND, SHOCKING ALL IN EUROPE.’ Congratulations Poland, you picked a WINNER!”
A presidential delegation from the U.S. traveled to Poland for Mr. Nawrocki’s inauguration last month.
Mr. Trump has been increasingly frustrated with two of Poland’s neighbors — Russia and Ukraine — over their continued war.
The president visited Poland once during his first term in 2017, when he met with Mr. Nawrocki’s predecessor, Andrzej Duda. During their sit-down in Warsaw, Mr. Trump praised the two countries’ military relationship. He also lauded Poland for being a leader in NATO spending, which he reiterated Wednesday in the Oval Office.
