US Ambassador Thomas Rose severed ties with Polish parliament speaker Włodzimierz Czarzasty over criticism of President Trump, sparking a diplomatic row.
Expected Difficult Relations
It was clear even before Thomas Rose received his official nomination as ambassador to Warsaw that cooperation with Donald Trump’s envoy would be difficult. This was indicated by Rose’s statements, who as early as winter 2025 suggested that Poland’s potential arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes committed in the Gaza Strip, would harm Polish-American relations.
POLITICAL ALIGNMENTS
Rose, a MAGA movement supporter, did not hide that politically he is closer to the PiS camp than to the government created by the Civic Coalition. On wPolsce24, he argued that “the presidential elections are a key moment for Poland, which will have to decide whether it wants to move closer to the center of power in the EU or remain a proud, sovereign country, fulfilling its alliance obligations.”
EARLY SUPPORT FOR POLISH OPPOSITION
DGP learned that Rose supported Karol Nawrocki in his presidential campaign. A joint photo and handshake between Nawrocki and Trump in the Oval Office, taken shortly before the elections, was reportedly not only the result of efforts by PiS politicians but also of Rose’s involvement, then a candidate for US ambassador to Poland.
THE DIPLOMATIC CRISIS
This week, the first serious crisis in relations with the White House envoy occurred. On Thursday, Rose announced that “with immediate effect, the USA will not maintain further contacts with Włodzimierz Czarzasty.” He cited “unprovoked insults” directed at Donald Trump as the reason. In reality, however, the issue was Czarzasty’s refusal to sign a request to award the US President the Nobel Peace Prize.
REACTIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
Premier Tusk rightly stood up for Czarzasty. “Mr. Ambassador Rose, allies should respect each other, not lecture,” he wrote. And the PiS environment should do the same. It doesn’t matter that they are political opponents. The lack of unity and willingness to defend “our own” weakens us on the international arena.
THE IMPORTANCE OF NATIONAL UNITY
The Polish right has not shown particular assertiveness towards the excesses of the current US administration. Nawrocki did not criticize the US president for his remarks about NATO soldiers in Afghanistan, who – according to Trump – “stayed a bit behind” the front line. Former President Andrzej Duda, in an interview with RMF FM, assessed that there was nothing inappropriate in this statement, emphasizing that Trump “did not offend anyone.”
LOOKING FORWARD
We can hope that reluctance to stand up to a powerful ally will not last forever. There is no reason to fear that this would lead to a breakdown in relations with the White House – after all, Donald Trump respects strength.
