Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon's Under Secretary of War for Policy, appeared before the House Armed Services Committee on Thursday, where he was pressed on the future of US military presence in Europe, including Poland.
Colby told committee chairman Mike Rogers that he would "absolutely implement the president's guidance" regarding US troops, a reference to Trump's pledge made during a White House meeting with Polish President Karol Nawrocki in September last year, when the American leader said US forces would remain in Poland and offered to send more "if they want."
However, when Rogers pushed Colby to confirm that US forces in Europe would not fall below the current level of four brigades, including two stationed in Poland, Colby stopped short of a direct commitment, Polish state news agency PAP reported.
"I want to be careful to preserve the president's decision space," Colby said, adding that the Pentagon would ensure its actions remained aligned with Trump's wishes.
The hearing also saw Rogers criticise the Pentagon over last year's withdrawal of a US brigade from Romania, which he said went against advice from American commanders in Europe and was carried out without consulting Congress or allies, despite Trump's earlier suggestion that any changes to European deployments would be minor.
Colby denied making that decision personally and insisted all Pentagon actions were in line with presidential guidance.
He also claimed that, in private, European commanders had offered different advice from what they told Congress publicly and cited an unnamed senior official who had privately welcomed the Romania withdrawal as a positive signal for Europe.
(ał)
Source: PAP
Click on the audio player above for a report by Michał Owczarek.