Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has publicly condemned what he described as "outrageous" American interference in Poland's domestic political affairs, marking an extraordinary public rebuke between two nations that have maintained one of the closest security partnerships in Europe.
Speaking to Polish state broadcaster TVP World, Sikorski—a longtime Atlanticist and former defence minister—said recent American actions and statements regarding Polish domestic politics were "irrational" and risked damaging the bilateral relationship at a moment when unity is essential to confront Russian aggression.
"The interference from certain American circles in our internal affairs is outrageous and unacceptable," Sikorski said in the interview. "Poland is a sovereign nation. We make our own decisions about our governance. We welcome American partnership, but not American diktat."
While Sikorski did not specify exactly which American actions he was referencing, the comments appear to relate to statements by US officials and conservative American media figures regarding Poland's ongoing legal and political disputes between the current liberal government and holdover officials from the previous nationalist administration.
To understand today's headlines, we must look at yesterday's decisions. Poland underwent a significant political transition in 2023 when the centrist Civic Coalition, led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, defeated the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party that had governed since 2015. The new government has sought to restore judicial independence and reverse what it characterizes as democratic backsliding under PiS rule.
However, the transition has been contentious. Two former PiS officials—former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro and his deputy Marcin Romanowski—fled to Hungary to avoid arrest warrants related to alleged misuse of public funds. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán granted them asylum, creating a diplomatic crisis between Warsaw and Budapest.
American conservative commentators and some Republican politicians have portrayed the pursuit of Ziobro and Romanowski as political persecution rather than legitimate legal accountability. Several US figures have called on the Trump administration to pressure Poland to drop the cases, framing the issue as "lawfare" against conservatives.
These interventions have infuriated the Tusk government, which views them as uninformed meddling in complex legal matters being adjudicated by Polish prosecutors and courts.
"We did not interfere when America was addressing its own rule-of-law challenges," Sikorski said, in an apparent reference to the January 6 Capitol riot and subsequent prosecutions. "We expect the same respect in return."
The dispute is particularly awkward given Poland's status as one of America's most committed allies. Warsaw hosts significant US military forces, including a forward division headquarters and rotational armoured brigades. Poland has consistently met NATO's 2% GDP defence spending target and has been among the largest contributors of military aid to Ukraine.
Polish officials had hoped that the Trump administration would prioritize the security relationship over domestic political commentary. However, President Trump's tendency to align with nationalist and conservative movements internationally has complicated that expectation.
"Poland has been America's most loyal ally in Europe," said Ian Brzezinski, a former US Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy, in comments to The Atlantic last month. "Undermining the Polish government over internal political disputes is strategically foolish when Russia is the real threat."
The State Department declined to comment specifically on Sikorski's remarks but issued a statement emphasizing that "the United States values its partnership with Poland" and "respects Polish sovereignty."
The incident reflects broader tensions within the transatlantic relationship as American domestic political divisions increasingly spill over into foreign policy. European governments have grown accustomed to managing disagreements with Washington over trade, climate, or Iran policy. Interference in domestic governance represents a more fundamental challenge to alliance cohesion.
For Sikorski, the public rebuke carries personal significance. A fluent English speaker educated at Oxford and married to American journalist Anne Applebaum, he has been one of Poland's leading advocates for close US ties. His willingness to criticize Washington signals how seriously the interference is viewed in Warsaw.
Whether the Trump administration will adjust its approach remains uncertain. In the meantime, Poland has made clear that its commitment to the alliance does not extend to accepting outside direction on matters of domestic law and governance—a message that may resonate with other European allies navigating similar tensions with Washington.
