WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Polish officials on Wednesday welcomed U.S. statements clarifying that the decision not to deploy 4,000 U.S. troops to the central European country was a temporary measure.
The Polish government last week reacted with disbelief at news that 4,000 troops from the Army’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division were no longer en route as planned to the country that borders Ukraine.
The Trump administration previously said it was cutting U.S. forces in Germany, a decision sparking unease and criticism in both Europe and Washington.
On Tuesday night, the chief Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell called it a “temporary delay” of the deployment of U.S. forces to Poland, which he described as a “model U.S. ally.”
Poland spends the most in the NATO military alliance on defense as a proportion of its economy, around 4.7% in 2025.
Parnell called the delay a result of the U.S. reducing the number of brigade combat teams assigned to Europe from four to three, and indicated the Pentagon needed to decide which troops to station where.
Also speaking on Tuesday night, Vice President JD Vance disputed that the U.S. was reducing troop levels in Poland: “That’s not a reduction. That’s just a standard delay in rotation that sometimes happens in these situations.”
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Wednesday said he was happy to hear “Washington’s declaration that Poland will be treated as it deserves.”
Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, who spoke with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday night, said the new U.S. statements mean that the "U.S. presence is maintained.”
He added: “Sometimes a rotating model can change into a permanent model and this is always much better." Around 10,000 U.S. troops are typically stationed in Poland, the majority of them present on a rotational basis.
Polish officials said they were told they would be involved in discussions about the reorganization of U.S. troops in Europe.
The U.S. did not say how long the delay would last. The Polish defense minister said he was hoping for clarification on troop presence in the following weeks.
But Tusk said Europeans should be under no illusion about Washington’s determination to reduce its military presence on the continent and the need for Europeans to fill the gap.
On Wednesday, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said U.S. allies have known for a year that the Trump administration would be withdrawing some troops from Europe and it expects, "rightly, for Europe and Canada to take a bigger responsibility for the conventional defense of NATO and particularly, of course, the European part of NATO.”
Rutte said the U.S. “will stay involved” but over time could pivot resources elsewhere in the world.
The Trump administration has warned that Europe would have to look after its own security, including Ukraine’s, in the future.
Trump and the Pentagon have said they were drawing down at least 5,000 troops in Germany after Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the U.S. was being “humiliated” by Iran's leadership and criticized what he called a lack of strategy in the war.
Associated Press writer Lorne Cook in Brussels contributed.
FILE - Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk, right, and Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, visit troops who patrol Poland's border with Belarus, in Dubicze Cerkiewna, eastern Poland on May 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski, File)
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Rookie sensation Olivia Miles spearheaded an efficient offense with 28 points, Courtney Williams added 27 points, and the Minnesota Lynx won their 10th straight game with a 108-100 victory over the Indiana Fever on Sunday.
There was a rally outside the Target Center that pitted those supporting Fever reserve Sophie Cunningham, who told ESPN last week she believed trans athletes should not play against girls, against those with the opposite feeling. Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve wore a shirt that read, “Trans kids belong,” and had a pregame conversation with Cunningham, who was booed throughout the game.
"Both of us understand that we have platforms and we both talked about wanting to, more than anything, educate,” Reeve said after the contest.
Minnesota had a 96-82 lead with 6:41 to play before the Fever, who had scored 100 in a record six-straight games, pulled within 100-98 with more than 2 1/2 minutes to go. Miles and Williams both came up with big baskets as the Lynx won their 10th straight for the first time since 2016.
“First time playing each other, so there’s a bit of a feeling out sort of thing," Reeve said. "And offense definitely had their way with each of the teams’ defense. Certainly knew it probably wasn’t going to be sustained, and it wasn’t. We were hoping at some point our defense could be a separator.
“We felt like we had to really fight to win, and glad we glad we did that. The next time we play them, each team is going to have a lot more information.”
The league’s No. 1 offense definitely made life difficult for the league’s No. 2 defense, but the Fever, who played in Portland on Friday night, struggled to stop the Lynx on the offensive end. Both teams shot 57% and both had 11 3-pointers and went 11 of 15 from the foul line. They also combined for 55 assists. The big difference was Indiana had 12 turnovers to six for Minnesota, which had an 11-5 edge in offensive rebounds and 9-0 advantage in fast-break points.
Napheesa Collier had 18 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Lynx (25-6). Natasha Howard scored 13 points and Kayla McBride 10.
The Fever (19-11), who had their five-game winning streak halted, were led by Kelsey Mitchell with 37 points, her fifth 30-point game of the season and 14th straight 20-point game, second in league history behind A'ja Wilson's 15-straight in a single season. Caitlin Clark added 19 points and 10 assists and Aliyah Boston had 15 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
“We were just a little bit of a step slow," Clark said of the defense. “ Proud of our group for finding ways to adjust, and that’s what you have to do versus a really good team.”
Both teams got off to a blistering start with Minnesota leading 36-32 after one quarter, tying the league record for most points in an opening period. Mitchell had 16 points in the first period, but Miles had 14 in the second and the Lynx led 64-53 at the break.
The crowd, listed as 16,505, certainly had plenty of Fever fans. That's not a surprise given that Clark grew up in West Des Moines, Iowa, which is about 3 1/2 hours away.
“It was weird hearing fans cheer when the other team scored,” Miles said. “Both ways, there was cheering for baskets and it was just loud in there. The energy, it's what you want as a basketball player.”
Fever: Home against Las Vegas on Thursday.
Lynx: Home against Los Angeles on Thursday.
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams (10) celebrates with teammates after making a basket during the second half of a WNBA basketball game against the Indiana Fever, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, left, dribbles downcourt as Minnesota Lynx guard Kayla McBride (21) defends during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve, left, and guard Olivia Miles (5) stand on the court during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Indiana Fever, Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Fans wear shirts saying "Trans Kids Belong In Sports" during a WNBA basketball game between the Minnesota Lynx and the Indiana Fever Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham (8) and Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve, right, stand on the court during the first half of a WNBA basketball game Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
