WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The U.S. ambassador to Poland announced on Thursday that the United States will have “no further dealings, contacts, or communications” with Włodzimierz Czarzasty, the speaker of the lower house of the Polish parliament, over what Rose called “outrageous and unprovoked insults directed against President Trump."
Amb. Tom Rose did not specify what those alleged insults were, but Czarzasty had issued a public statement on Monday in which he said he would not support an initiative of his Israeli and American counterparts to nominate U.S. President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Czarzasty is one of the leaders of a left-wing party in the liberal government led by Donald Tusk.
Ever since Trump came to power, Poland has had to walk a fine line between defending its European allies while not upsetting its most powerful ally, the United States, on which peace in neighboring Ukraine depends. Warsaw has so far managed to do this by having Tusk handle European Union matters and letting President Karol Nawrocki, who came to power supported by the national-conservative opposition party Law and Justice, connect with Trump.
Nawrocki enjoys good relationships with Trump, who endorsed him during the electoral campaign for presidency last year, and invited him to the White House soon after the Pole took office. As the two presidents sat side by side in September in the White House, Trump declared he does not intend to pull U.S. troops out of Poland, a sign of support for the new president and his aims. “We’ll put more there if they want,” Trump even said.
Yet this week's dispute highlights the difficulty of Poland's position in the current international context.
Czarzasty did not mince his words on Monday when he said Trump “does not deserve the Nobel Peace Prize.” He said Trump "represents power politics and, by the use of force, pursues transactional politics.” This often means “breaking international law,” the Polish politician added.
He criticized Trump for not recognizing enough the role Polish soldiers played in U.S. military missions and for “the instrumental treatment of other territories," such as Greenland.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk was quick to respond to Rose's announcement.
“Mr. Ambassador Rose, allies should respect, not lecture, each other,” Tusk wrote on X Thursday afternoon.
Rose, however, was undeterred. He replied to Tusk that, despite the Polish prime minister himself being “a model ally and great friend of the United States,” Czarzasty's comments “were so potentially damaging to your government.”
Insulting Trump, “the greatest friend Poland has ever had in the White House," was “the last thing” a Polish leader should do, Rose warned.
Earlier this week, Nawrocki called a meeting of a national security body to discuss, among others, whether Poland should join Trump’s Board of Peace as well as to clarify alleged “eastern business and social contacts” of Czarzasty. The parliament speaker denies any nefarious relationships in Russia or Belarus.
Law and Justice, the main opposition party in Poland who supported Nawrocki's presidential bid, is hoping to regain power in parliamentary elections next year. Weakening Tusk's coalition partners is part of its strategy.
Czarzasty himself said on Thursday night that, despite respecting the U.S. as a key ally for Poland, he would not change his position.
The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request to comment.
Włodzimierz Czarzasty, President of Parliament of the Republic of Poland, stands in the visitors' gallery in the German Bundestag at the start of the 52nd plenary session of the 21st legislative period, in Berlin, Germany, Jan. 14, 2026. (Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa via AP)
Giannis Antetokounmpo remained with the Milwaukee Bucks while plenty of other players changed addresses as the NBA trade deadline passed Thursday.
An extremely busy deadline, at that: There were 28 trades made in the week leading up to the deadline, the most that the NBA has seen in over that timeframe in the last 20 years — with 18 of those trades getting finalized by teams Thursday in the hours before the deadline.
That ties a deadline-day record, set two years ago. And 27 teams were involved in at least one trade in the week leading up to the deadline, tying another league record.
But none of them involved Antetokounmpo, who had been the center of attention heading into the trade deadline amid reports that the Milwaukee Bucks started listening to offers for the two-time MVP and nine-time all-NBA selection. The deadline came at 3 p.m., and Antetokounmpo wasn't going anywhere.
Antetokounmpo, who hasn’t played since straining his right calf on Jan. 23, has spent his entire 13-year career with Milwaukee and led the Bucks to a title in 2021.
Antetokounmpo repeatedly has said that he loves playing in Milwaukee, but he also has emphasized that he wants to continue playing for a team that’s committed to competing for championships. The Bucks have lost in the first round of the playoffs each of the last three seasons and are currently 12th in the Eastern Conference standings.
Memphis' Ja Morant also hadn't been traded as of the deadline, even though his future had been the subject of much speculation over the last few weeks.
Morant has spent his entire career in Memphis, but the Grizzlies are 11th in the Western Conference standings and already dealt two-time All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz this week as part of a roster overhaul.
Although he’s a two-time All-Star in his own right, Morant has seen his stock fall lately because of injuries and off-court issues as well as a drop in production.
There were some notable trades to take place Thursday, but none of them involved anyone with Antetokounmpo's star power.
Indiana acquired 7-footer Ivica Zubac from the Los Angeles Clippers. Minnesota added some potential bench scoring by getting Ayo Dosunmu from the Chicago Bulls. New York gained some backcourt depth by landing Jose Alvarado from New Orleans.
Most of the biggest names to change teams did so in trades that were reported earlier in the week. That list of players included 2018 MVP and 11-time All-Star James Harden as well as five-time all-NBA selection Anthony Davis.
The Indiana Pacers paid a big price to get a big man. The Pacers sent Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson and up to three draft picks to the Los Angeles Clippers, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade had not been announced.
Zubac, who turns 29 next month, has averaged 14.4 points and 11 rebounds this season. The 7-footer gives Indiana a reliable center that could help the defending Eastern Conference champions contend again when Tyrese Haliburton returns from his Achilles injury next season.
Mathurin, 23, was averaging 17.8 points for Indiana.
As the deadline approached, the Minnesota Timberwolves acquired Dosunmu from the Chicago Bulls, a person with knowledge of the deal told the AP. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade hadn't been finalized.
Minnesota agreed to send guard Rob Dillingham, forward Leonard Miller and four second-round draft picks to the Bulls for Dosunmu and forward Julian Phillips.
Dosunmu is making about $7.5 million in the final season of his current contract. The 26-year-old is averaging a career-high 15 points per game and shooting a career-best 45.1% from 3-point range. He will fill an obvious need for the Timberwolves for more offense off the bench.
Toronto added a future Hall of Famer in Chris Paul, who will likely never play for the Raptors, to get below the luxury tax threshold.
The Raptors traded with the Los Angeles Clippers for Paul, at least on paper. Toronto also sent forward Ochai Agbaji, a future second-round pick and cash to the Nets, the Raptors announced.
Paul — who is expected to retire after this season — was sent home by the Clippers in November but remained on their payroll.
The Cleveland Cavaliers sent guard Lonzo Ball to the Utah Jazz for a pair of second-round draft picks.
Ball appeared in 35 games, including three starts, and averaged 4.6 points, 3.9 assists and 1.3 steals in 20.8 minutes. The Jazz will be the fifth team for Ball in his seven-year career.
The Knicks and Pelicans made a last-hour deal Thursday to send Jose Alvarado to New York for two second-round picks and Dalen Terry, who they acquired in a separate deal with Chicago, a person with knowledge of the deal told the AP. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade hadn’t been announced publicly.
The Clippers sent Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for two-time All-Star Darius Garland and a second-round draft pick. The 26-year-old Garland is 10 years younger than Harden.
Davis is going from the Dallas Mavericks to the Washington Wizards as part of an eight-player trade. The Wizards are receiving Davis, Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell and Dante Exum in exchange for Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, two first-round picks and three second-round selections.
The Wizards eventually can pair Davis with four-time All-Star guard Trae Young, who came to Washington last month in a trade with Atlanta. Davis and Young are both currently injured.
Dallas then sent Branham to Charlotte in exchange for point guard Tyus Jones, a person familiar with the situation told the AP. Charlotte had acquired Jones from Orlando earlier in the week.
The Hawks acquired Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round draft pick from the Los Angeles Lakers for shooting guard Luke Kennard, a person with knowledge of the move told the AP on condition of anonymity because the trade had not yet received the required league approval. Atlanta also received Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield from the Golden State Warriors for Kristaps Porzingis.
Each of the conference leaders also has made a move this week.
The defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder acquired Jared McCain from the Philadelphia 76ers for a 2026 first-round draft pick and three second-round selections. The Eastern Conference-leading Detroit Pistons got Kevin Huerter from the Chicago Bulls as part of a four-team trade.
The Boston Celtics announced later Thursday that they acquired guard John Tonje from the Jazz in exchange for forward Chris Boucher, a future second-round pick, and cash considerations.
AP Pro Basketball Writers Tim Reynolds and Brian Mahoney, and AP Sports Writers Dave Campbell, Schuyler Dixon, Joe Reedy, Charles Odum and Michael Marot contributed to this report.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
Chicago Bulls' Ayo Dosunmu loses the ball in front of Milwaukee Bucks' AJ Green during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac, left, goes up for a shot against Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams, right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant looks on from the bench in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)
Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo blows a bubble on the bench during the first half of an NBA basketball game Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo sits on the bench during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo smiles on the bench with Thanasis Antetokounmpo during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
