Polish President Aces White House Meeting

Two Polish leaders represented their country on big stages in the United States on September 3. Tennis star Iga Swiatek played in the quarterfinals of the US Open in Queens, New York, and Polish President Karol Nawrocki met with US President Donald Trump in the White House.  

The fact that newly elected President Nawrocki got the meeting in the White House is a success for Poland. His good relations with the MAGA world are well known: He met with Trump in Washington ahead of the recent Polish presidential elections in June 2025 and received an endorsement from the US president.  

The meeting was of distinct interest in Poland, especially in light of the lack of a Polish presence among European leaders during the “reassurance” meeting with President Trump following his Alaska summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The fact that no one from Poland was at the table is a reflection of the discomfort and lack of coordination between the ruling government and the president’s office. Relatedly, Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week in Miami ahead of the presidential meeting. 

As it stands, Nawrocki was able to secure commitments to the US military presence in Poland and even obtained a mention of a potentially larger US presence in the country. Any possible rifts between the government and the president’s office in Poland were not apparent in the meeting, mostly because Sikorski was not invited to join. The White House did not seem to want his voice there anyway.  

Yet, as with many verbal agreements with President Trump and the White House, one must consider the sustainability of the promise. Will the United States decide to reduce its troop presence in Europe or in Poland after the Pentagon’s Force Posture Review? 

Poland was well represented in both Queens and Washington on September 3. Unfortunately, Iga did not advance to the next round in New York, but President Nawrocki capably moved the already solid relationship forward with his visit. The next round will involve more difficult steps, as other malicious actors will be keen on spoiling US-Polish cooperation to the detriment of security in Central Europe.