Baker in spotlight after court win in gay wedding cake case

Jack Phillips seems like an unlikely U.S. Supreme Court plaintiff.

The laconic 62-year-old has quietly run his Masterpiece Cakeshop from a strip mall in suburban Denver for a quarter of a century.

Charlie Craig, left, and David Mullins talk about a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that sets aside a Colorado court decision against a baker who would not make a wedding cake for the same-sex couple as they meet reporters Monday, June 4, 2018, in Denver. The Court has not decided on the larger issue in the case, however--whether a business can refuse to to serve gay and lesbian people. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

That changed, however, when a gay couple asked him to make their wedding cake in 2012 and Phillips said no, citing his religious beliefs.

Now, after winning a partial victory Monday from the high court, Phillips has become a beacon for conservatives who feared a shift toward gay rights could make them an oppressed minority.

"I'm profoundly thankful that the court saw the injustice that the government inflicted on me," Phillips said in a statement issued through his lawyers. "This is a great day for our family, our shop, and for people of all faiths who should not fear government hostility or unjust punishment. Today's decision makes clear that tolerance is a two-way street."

Charlie Craig, front, and David Mullins talk about a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that sets aside a Colorado court decision against a baker who would not make a wedding cake for the same-sex couple as they meet reporters Monday, June 4, 2018, in Denver. The Court has not decided on the larger issue in the case, however--whether a business can refuse to to serve gay and lesbian people. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

The justices cited anti-religious bias on the part of the Colorado Civil Rights Commission, saying it was unfairly dismissive of Phillips' religious beliefs.

But the court stayed out of the thornier issue of whether people can avoid providing services to same-sex weddings because of religious beliefs

Even so, people streamed into Phillips' cake shop after the ruling came down, embracing him as his phone rang repeatedly with congratulations from people who view him as their champion.

Supporter Ann Sewell, who brought a clutch of congratulatory balloons to the bakery, compared Phillips' bravery to people opposed to the Vietnam War.

Charlie Craig and David Mullins hold hands as they talk about a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that sets aside a Colorado court decision against a baker who would not make a wedding cake for the same-sex couple as they meet reporters Monday, June 4, 2018, in Denver. The Court has not decided on the larger issue in the case, however--whether a business can refuse to to serve gay and lesbian people. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

"If you could be a conscientious objector and not fight in a war then you should be able to hold to your convictions in something as simple as this when it is not hurting anyone," Sewell said. "It might offend someone, but that's life."

The case stems from a brief meeting in 2012 between Phillips and Charlie Craig and Dave Mullins. The couple had just married in Massachusetts and wanted a cake for a celebration in the suburb of Lakewood.

Phillips told the men he'd be happy to sell them other products, but he didn't make wedding cakes for gay marriages.

The newlyweds filed a complaint with the state civil rights commission, which forbid Phillips from refusing service again.

Charlie Craig, front, and David Mullins talk about a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that sets aside a Colorado court decision against a baker who would not make a wedding cake for the same-sex couple as they meet reporters Monday, June 4, 2018, in Denver. The Court has not decided on the larger issue in the case, however--whether a business can refuse to to serve gay and lesbian people. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Phillips fought back, appealing that ruling all the way to the Supreme Court. To avoid future liability, he stopped making any wedding cakes — a 40 percent drop in business — and cut his bakery staff of 10 by six people, according to his attorney Kristen Waggoner.

His case is one of several in the legal pipeline in which professionals — video producers, florists, graphic artists — declined to provide services for same-sex weddings. Phillips' case was the first to make it to the high court.

That landed the normally private baker in the spotlight. In November, just before arguments in his case were heard in Washington, Phillips headlined a rally at Colorado Christian University, not far from his bakery.

Baker Jack Phillips, front, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, poses for a photograph with Sebastian Muller, an assistant pastor at Calvary South Denver Church, in Phillips' shop Monday, June 4, 2018, in Lakewood, Colo., after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that he could refuse to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple because his religious beliefs did not violate Colorado's anti-discrimination law. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

He appeared awkward on stage, laughing nervously and his voice rattling as he thanked those attending.

"I love using cakes as a canvas," Phillips continued. "One of the favorite parts of my job is making wedding cakes because it allows me to bring my love of art — painting, sculpting, airbrushing — to create something beautiful and unique to mark the beginning of something held sacred by many."

At the conclusion of his five-minute address, the crowd swarmed around Phillips, touched him and prayed.

Baker Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, manages his shop Monday, June 4, 2018, in Lakewood, Colo., after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that he could refuse to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple because his religious beliefs did not violate Colorado's anti-discrimination law. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Supporters of baker Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, hug inside Phillips' shop Monday, June 4, 2018, in Lakewood, Colo., after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that he could refuse to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple because his religious beliefs did not violate Colorado's anti-discrimination law. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Donation tins sit next to the cash register as a customer picks up a bag of baked goods after paying baker Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, Monday, June 4, 2018, in Lakewood, Colo., following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that he could refuse to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple because his religious beliefs did not violate Colorado's anti-discrimination law. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Baker Jack Phillips, right, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, hugs an unidentified man who was in Phillips' shop Monday, June 4, 2018, in Lakewood, Colo., after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that he could refuse to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple because his religious beliefs did not violate Colorado's anti-discrimination law. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO’s top military officer said Tuesday that he does not expect any more drawdowns of American troops from Europe — at least not anytime soon — beyond the 5,000 that U.S. President Donald Trump announced would leave the continent.

The remarks by U.S. Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich follow Trump's surprise announcement of the move early this month, which came as the U.S. leader has bickered with allies over the Iran war and called for changes.

The Pentagon has canceled deployments to Poland and Germany to draw down thousands of troops in Europe as opposed to yanking out forces already stationed there.

“It will be 5,000 troops coming out of Europe,” Grynkewich told reporters at NATO headquarters in Brussels, where top officers from the 32-nation military organization met. “lt’s all that I’m expecting in the near term.”

Grynkewich’s remarks could allay initial fears that more cuts might be coming. The reductions have drawn blowback from both Democratic and Republican U.S. lawmakers, who said the move sent the wrong message to close allies and that Congress was not consulted about the changes.

Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said Tuesday that the military reduced the number of brigade combat teams assigned to Europe from four to three, “resulting in a temporary delay of the deployment of U.S. forces to Poland, which is a model U.S. ally.”

The Pentagon “will determine the final disposition of these and other U.S. forces in Europe based on further analysis of U.S. strategic and operational requirements, as well as our allies’ own ability to contribute forces toward Europe’s defense,” Parnell said on social media.

He said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke to Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz on Tuesday and that the U.S. will ensure it “retains a strong military presence in Poland.”

Trump’s announcement blindsided NATO allies and came despite U.S. promises to coordinate military moves with its allies and avoid creating security gaps.

Trump was notably angry at Germany, after Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the United States was being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership and criticized what he called a lack of U.S. strategy in the war.

Some 4,000 troops from the Army’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division are no longer going to Poland as planned, and the deployment to Germany of personnel trained to fire long-range rockets and missiles has been halted. Much of the detail is still being worked out.

Some U.S. troops from the brigade bound for Poland were told not to get on a plane to Europe shortly before departure. About 1,000 soldiers and 1,700 pieces of equipment from that brigade had already arrived in Europe shortly before their deployment was canceled, a U.S. military official told The Associated Press on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss military deployments.

Grynkewich said he spoke earlier in the day to military chiefs from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland about “some of the options and how we might array capabilities on the eastern flank," along NATO's border with Russia.

The cancellation of the deployment to Poland has wider effects because some U.S. troops based in the Baltics, including Estonia, were supposed to come from the brigade meant to arrive in Poland, said Jonatan Vseviov, secretary-general at Estonia’s Foreign Ministry.

He described the development as “a hiccup,” but one that “in and of itself is not going to collapse NATO deterrence in the Baltic states.”

Alluding to the sudden decision to pull troops, Estonia’s Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur told Estonian media Tuesday that “there is not much information" about what is happening.

“What we do know is that U.S. forces are in Estonia and will remain there," he said, adding that “no one has told me that any kind of lowering of the U.S. flag in Estonia is going to happen.”

Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys, told AP that the deployment of 1,000 U.S. troops to Lithuania is also linked to the canceled rotation. He said he viewed any issues connected to the deployment to be a “technical issue,” which hopefully will be resolved with American troops remaining in Lithuania.

The U.S. military official said officials are looking at how to bridge any gaps in the Baltic nations with other forces already deployed in Europe.

Grynkewich insisted that security in Europe would not be compromised but warned that allies should expect more drawdowns in coming years.

“Over the long term, we absolutely should expect additional redeployments as Europe continues to build capability and capacity and step up to provide more of the conventional defense of Europe,” Grynkewich said.

“It’s going to be an ongoing process for several years,” he said, but added, “We’re going to stay well-synchronized with our allies moving forward."

Burrows reported from Tallinn, Estonia.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz attends a joint press conference with President of the Swiss Confederation Guy Parmelin, not pictured, at the chancellory in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, May 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi)

President Donald Trump speaks as he tours Ballroom construction around the outside the White House, Tuesday, May 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)