Pentagon drops plans to deploy over 4,000 U.S.-based troops

WASHINGTON, May 15 (Xinhua) -- The Pentagon has scrapped plans to temporarily deploy more than 4,000 U.S.-based troops to Poland, multiple U.S. media outlets reported, citing U.S. officials.

The head of the U.S. European Command "received the instructions on the force reduction," said Christopher LaNeve, acting U.S. Army chief of staff, at a congressional hearing on Friday.

"I've worked with him in close consultation on what that force unit would be, and it ... made the most sense for that brigade to not do its deployment in theater," LaNeve said, referring to the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team.

Some elements of the unit had already been sent overseas and its equipment was in transit, the general said.

The order to cancel the deployment came from U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's office, according to the general. No formal announcement has been made.

Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat who sits on the Senate Committee on Armed Services, said that Congress was not notified.

"As far as I know, we weren't notified about it," she told reporters.

The Pentagon announced two weeks ago that roughly 5,000 U.S. troops would be withdrawn from Germany over the next six to 12 months.