In a dramatic diplomatic move that has sent ripples through Warsaw and Washington alike, the United States has abruptly cut off official relations with Włodzimierz Czarzasty, the Speaker of the Polish Parliament. The announcement, made by US Ambassador to Poland Tom Rose on February 6, 2026, marks a rare escalation between two nations long considered steadfast allies. The rift centers on Czarzasty’s outspoken criticism of former US President Donald Trump and his refusal to support a Nobel Peace Prize nomination for the controversial American leader—a stance that has ignited fierce debate in both capitals.
“As of today, we will no longer maintain contact or communicate with Marshal Czarzasty of the Sejm,” Ambassador Rose declared, according to statements reported by multiple outlets. The ambassador described Czarzasty’s recent remarks as “outrageous and unwarranted insults” directed at President Trump—words that, in Rose’s view, violate the standards of respect expected from senior representatives of allied countries. The decision, he stressed, was immediate and applied to all official meetings and communications.
So what exactly did Czarzasty say to spark such a rupture? On February 3, the parliament speaker publicly rejected an initiative from Israeli and American lawmakers to nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. “Trump does not deserve the Nobel Peace Prize,” Czarzasty stated bluntly, according to the Associated Press. He accused the former president of representing power politics, transactional decision-making, and “breaking international law.” The Polish politician went further, criticizing Trump’s insufficient recognition of Polish soldiers’ roles in US military missions and lambasting what he called “the instrumental treatment of other territories,” such as Greenland.
Czarzasty’s criticisms didn’t stop there. He dismissed Trump’s efforts to establish new diplomatic platforms, such as the Peace Council, as “illusory.” Instead, he called for strengthening existing institutions like the European Union, NATO, the United Nations, and the World Health Organization. “The construction of new platforms by the United States, such as the Peace Council, is in my opinion illusory. We need to strengthen the European Union, NATO, the UN, WHO and ourselves,” he argued, as cited by Reuters.
Despite the uproar, Czarzasty has refused to back down. On Thursday evening, he reiterated his respect for the United States as a key Polish ally but insisted he would not change his position. “My decisions are based on an independent assessment of international issues and not on a desire to escalate Polish-US conflicts,” he maintained. The parliament speaker also pushed back against allegations of questionable contacts in Russia or Belarus, denying any nefarious relationships.
The fallout was swift. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, leader of the liberal government in which Czarzasty’s left-wing party is a coalition partner, responded to Rose’s announcement with a pointed message. “Mr. Ambassador Rose, allies should respect, not lecture, each other,” Tusk wrote on X (formerly Twitter) Thursday afternoon. Ambassador Rose, however, was undeterred. He replied that, despite Tusk himself being “a model ally and great friend of the United States,” Czarzasty’s comments were “potentially damaging to your government.” Insulting Trump, Rose warned, “the greatest friend Poland has ever had in the White House,” was “the last thing” a Polish leader should do.
This diplomatic freeze comes at a delicate time for Poland, which has long had to navigate a tricky balancing act between its European commitments and its reliance on the US for security—especially with war raging in neighboring Ukraine. According to Politico, Warsaw has managed this by letting Tusk handle EU matters while President Karol Nawrocki, a political rival from the national-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, has cultivated close ties with Trump. Nawrocki, who won the presidency in 2025 with PiS support, was endorsed by Trump during his campaign and received an invitation to the White House soon after taking office.
The relationship between Nawrocki and Trump has been a cornerstone of Poland’s security strategy. When the two presidents met in September 2025, Trump reassured Poland that he had no intention of withdrawing US troops from the country. “We’ll put more there if they want,” Trump even said, signaling his ongoing support for Warsaw’s defense needs.
Yet, the current dispute underscores the fragility of these arrangements. Earlier this week, President Nawrocki convened a national security meeting to discuss, among other things, whether Poland should join Trump’s Board of Peace—a new initiative being promoted by Trump’s supporters. The meeting also addressed allegations about Czarzasty’s supposed “eastern business and social contacts,” which the parliament speaker vehemently denied.
Meanwhile, the Law and Justice party, now in opposition but still a major player in Polish politics, is hoping to capitalize on the controversy. With parliamentary elections scheduled for 2027, PiS is eager to weaken Tusk’s coalition partners and regain power. According to Reuters, undermining figures like Czarzasty is seen as part of that strategy.
Diplomacy experts warn that such a public and personal break between an American ambassador and a senior Polish official is highly unusual—especially given the deep military and strategic ties binding the two countries. “This relationship, based on military cooperation and strategic security dialogue, could be put to the test if negative rhetoric begins to dominate key state institutions,” wrote AP. The risk, they note, is that political disputes could escalate beyond the personal and begin to erode the vital channels of communication needed to manage regional security, particularly as Poland plays a frontline role in supporting Ukraine and deterring Russian aggression.
For now, much depends on whether the Polish side chooses to de-escalate the conflict or if the spat will spill over into broader government relations. Critics on both sides of the Atlantic point out that, while political disagreements are inevitable among allies, maintaining a common platform for dialogue is essential—especially with so much at stake for European and transatlantic security.
In the meantime, the US State Department has not issued an official comment on Ambassador Rose’s move, leaving the diplomatic community in Warsaw and Washington to ponder the implications. For Poland, the episode is a stark reminder of the complexities of alliance politics in a turbulent era—where a few sharp words can upend years of careful balancing and trust.
As the dust settles, the Polish government faces a difficult choice: stand firm in its defense of independent political judgment, or seek a path of reconciliation with its most powerful ally. The outcome may well shape the future of Polish-American relations—and, by extension, the security architecture of Europe itself—in the years to come.