Polish defense minister rejects president's criticism over US ties

Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz on Monday accused President Karol Nawrocki of repeating "PiS propaganda" after the head of state claimed the government had damaged relations with the United States during a visit to Washington.

"Facts are merciless. And they destroy PiS propaganda," Kosiniak-Kamysz said, referring to the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party that backed Nawrocki's presidential campaign.

The argument reflects the growing institutional rivalry between the government and the presidency. Foreign and security policy are formally shared responsibilities under Poland's constitution, which could cause friction if the president and government come from opposing political parties.

The exchange highlights growing tensions between Poland's conservative president and Prime Minister Donald Tusk's centrist coalition over foreign policy and relations with the administration of US President Donald Trump.

Speaking in the United States, where he attended celebrations marking Trump's 80th birthday, Nawrocki spoke of an "anti-American narrative" among senior members of the Polish government and accused ministers of undermining ties with Washington.

"There is often a problem with anti-American rhetoric among many important politicians in Poland and within the Polish government," Nawrocki told journalists. He claimed that members of the ruling coalition had harmed relations, which he had helped rebuild through his contacts with Trump.

The president specifically criticized Prime Minister Donald Tusk, Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski, and parliament's Deputy Speaker Wlodzimierz Czarzasty.

Kosiniak-Kamysz responded on social media, pointing to recent defense cooperation with the US as evidence that bilateral relations remain strong.

"Relations between the Polish government and President Trump and the US administration are apparently so bad that we have just received $4 billion (€3.44 billion) in guarantees under the American Foreign Military Financing program," the defense minister wrote on X.

He also noted recent US praise for Poland's Eastern Shield border fortification program, which aims to strengthen defenses along NATO's eastern flank.

Poland remains one of Washington's closest security partners on the continent and spends more than 4% of its GDP on defense, among the highest levels in NATO.

Earlier this year, Warsaw secured financing support through US military programs and continued major purchases of American equipment, including Abrams tanks, Patriot air defense systems, HIMARS rocket launchers, and F-35 fighter aircraft.

The latest exchange suggests that relations with the United States are likely to remain a central battleground in Poland's domestic political debate in the months ahead.