U.S. Troop Deployment to Poland Has Not Been Canceled: Vance

 ‘We actually haven’t made the final determination about where those troops are ultimately going to go,’ he said.

On Tuesday, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said that the Pentagon’s planned deployment of more than 4,000 U.S.-based troops to Poland was delayed rather than canceled.

The Trump administration had not yet reached a final decision on where the troops would ultimately be sent, Vance said at a White House press briefing. “It is a delay in troop rotation. Those troops could go elsewhere in Europe,” he said.

“We actually haven’t made the final determination about where those troops are ultimately going to go,” Vance said, adding that the Trump administration was “talking about shifting some resources around in a way that maximizes American security.”

He reiterated that U.S. allies in Europe need to shoulder more of their own defense burden. “We have got to have more sovereignty and more of Europe standing on its own two feet,” Vance said. “That will continue to be our policy in Europe.”

Multiple U.S. media outlets reported last week that the deployment plan had been suddenly canceled. The Pentagon announced earlier that roughly 5,000 U.S. troops would be withdrawn from Germany over the next six to 12 months.

On Tuesday, during a press conference at the White House, Vance also downplayed expectations of a potential presidential run, stating that he is focused on his job as U.S. Vice President.

“I am not a potential future candidate. I am Vice President, I really like my job, and I’m going to do my best to do it,” he told a room full of reporters, where he defended U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies toward Iran and Europe.

Last week, Vance had already avoided commenting on the possibility of forming a presidential ticket with Rubio in the 2028 elections, as Trump himself has suggested.

“I like Marco very much. I think he’s a great Secretary of State. He’s become a very, very close friend. But we are both very focused right now on fulfilling the responsibilities entrusted to us by the American people,” Vance said.

teleSUR/ JF

Source: Xinhua