A majority of Poland's citizens say the U.S. is no longer a reliable ally, according to a new survey.
Polling published by the daily Rzeczpospolita shows a sharp erosion of trust in Washington in Poland, among one of America's most historically loyal European partners.
It's a shift conservatives say reflects elite media narratives and political messaging in Europe rather than a true break in the strategic relationship.
The survey, conducted by Southwest Research and published by Rzeczpospolita on Jan. 31, found that just 30% of Poles said they consider the United States a trustworthy ally, while 53% said it is not. Another 17% expressed no opinion.
The results are striking in a country that has been one of the most pro-American nations in Europe since the fall of Communism.
The timing of the poll followed a month of intense media coverage of President Donald Trump's foreign policy moves, including a U.S. military strike on Venezuela, a push to acquire Greenland, and remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos criticizing NATO allies for failing to carry their weight in Afghanistan.
Critics seized on those comments, even though Poland has been one of NATO's top contributors and remains a model ally.
Warsaw has boosted defense spending to nearly 5% of GDP, hosts roughly 10,000 U.S. troops, and continues a massive rearmament program that the Trump administration has repeatedly praised.
Despite that reality, other polling paints a similar picture.
An IBP survey published by defense-focused outlet Portal Obronny found 58% of respondents held a negative view of Trump's international and security policies, compared to 23% who viewed them positively.
A Pew Research Center survey last year showed confidence in the U.S. president on global affairs plunging from 75% under former President Joe Biden to 35% under Trump.
Conservatives argue those numbers say less about U.S. reliability than about Europe's political class and media environment.
In Poland, the center-left government led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk has openly criticized Trump on Ukraine, Greenland, and trade, while much of the mainstream press echoes those concerns.
By contrast, Poland's conservative-aligned president, Karol Nawrocki, remains a close ally of the Trump administration. He has refused to condemn Trump's Greenland comments and has said the U.S. president remains the best hope for ending the war in Ukraine.
Conservative leader Jarosław Kaczynski has warned that Poland has "no alternative" to the U.S. as a security guarantor, arguing Europe lacks the military capacity to replace American power.
Even with declining trust, Poland still stands out as less hostile to Trump than much of Europe.
A recent Eurobazooka survey found only 29% of Poles view Trump as an "enemy of Europe" — the lowest share among seven European countries surveyed, all of which topped 50%.
For conservatives, the takeaway is clear: Elite skepticism toward America is growing in Europe, but the underlying strategic reality has not changed.
Poland's security still rests on U.S. power, NATO strength, and deterrence against Russia — facts unlikely to be altered by polling or press coverage.
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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