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Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.
A longer, unpublished version of the Trump administration’s National Security Strategy identifies Poland as one of four countries the US should try to “pull away” from the European Union, according to leaked excerpts reported by the Defense One news website.
It also calls for Washington to support parties and movements that “seek sovereignty and preservation/restoration of traditional European ways of life”.
The news emerged as senior security aides to Poland’s right-wing President Karol Nawrocki, a close ally of Trump, arrived in Washington for talks with their US counterparts over the new American strategy.
Madness. 'the [private version of the] NSS proposes to focus U.S. relationships with European countries on a few nations with like-minded… administrations and movements. Austria, Hungary, Italy, and Poland are listed as countries the U.S. should “work more with…with the goal… https://t.co/JIsOugQz7x
— Shashank Joshi (@shashj) December 9, 2025
The official, 33-page version of the National Security Strategy was published by the White House last week and drew attention in particular for its claim that Europe is facing “civilisational erasure”, making it “far from obvious whether certain European countries will…remain reliable allies”.
It accused the EU of “undermining political liberty and sovereignty” and said that “migration policies are transforming the continent and creating strife”.
On Tuesday, Defense One published extracts from what it said was a “fuller version” of the strategy that had been circulating before the White House published the unclassified version.
The document listed Poland, Austria, Italy and Hungary as countries that the US should “work more with…with the goal of pulling them away from the [European Union]”, according to Defense One.
‘Make Europe Great Again’ and more from a longer version of the National Security Strategy | Read the exclusive story by @meghannmyers_ https://t.co/Y2aDDobJ2I
— Defense One (@DefenseOne) December 9, 2025
“And we should support parties, movements, and intellectual and cultural figures who seek sovereignty and preservation/restoration of traditional European ways of life…while remaining pro-American,” added the document.
Those plans appear to align with US policy in the region, where Trump has enjoyed friendly relations with national-conservative leaders such as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Polish President Karol Nawrocki.
Nawrocki last month called for major reform of the EU to restore greater national sovereignty and stop Brussels from “dictating” to member states and trying to “regulate the lives of citizens”. He regards Washington as Poland’s most important partner.
Opinion polls consistently show that a large majority of Poles favour their country’s continued membership of the EU, though some recent surveys suggest that so-called “Polexit” is supported by a growing minority.
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On Tuesday, a delegation from Nawrocki’s National Security Bureau (BBN) arrived in Washington at the invitation of Trump’s National Security Council (NSC) for discussions relating to the new National Security Strategy.
The talks offered a chance to “ask about certain details that cannot possibly be discussed or described in the document”, said the deputy head of the BBN, Andrzej Kowalski, quoted by news website Onet.
“We are the first European delegation to have the opportunity to discuss the details and intentions behind this document,” added BBN advisory Nikodem Rachoń. “These were very good talks, demonstrating that the Americans are open to expanding security cooperation with Poland on a bilateral basis.”
Dear @USWPColby, thank you for laying out so clearly the key issues addressed in the new U.S. National Security Strategy. This document is currently being analyzed by the National Security Bureau @BBN_PL, which I have the honor to be the Head of and which serves as an advisory… https://t.co/0zfsTOgT1d
— Sławomir Cenckiewicz (@Cenckiewicz) December 10, 2025
Poland’s more liberal, pro-EU government, which regularly clashes with Nawrocki, has been less positive about Trump’s new National Security Strategy.
Shortly after it was published, Prime Minister Donald Tusk addressed his “American friends” on social media, telling them that “Europe is your closest ally, not your problem”.
“We have common enemies. At least that’s how it has been in the last 80 years. We need to stick to this, this is the only reasonable strategy of our common security. Unless something has changed,” he added.
Dear American friends, Europe is your closest ally, not your problem. And we have common enemies. At least that’s how it has been in the last 80 years. We need to stick to this, this is the only reasonable strategy of our common security. Unless something has changed.
— Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) December 6, 2025
Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.
Main image credit: White House (under BY 3.0 US)
Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland. He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications, including Foreign Policy, POLITICO Europe, EUobserver and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.
