“I’m really afraid of the question Law and Justice (PiS) might raise in the second round of the presidential election—namely, can Poland afford a president and prime minister who are at odds with the United States?” said Michał Kamiński, Deputy Speaker of the Senate from the Polish People’s Party (PSL), during an appearance on TVN24. According to Kamiński and other members of the governing coalition, the future of Poland’s relationship with the U.S. could be complicated, partly due to past statements made by Donald Tusk.
Trump’s Return
Donald Trump has been back at the helm of the United States for several days now. But this “new-old” reality has not been greeted with enthusiasm by everyone. A significant part of the Polish political scene—particularly those associated with Donald Tusk—had previously taken a critical stance on Trump. Just a few months ago, they were publicly expressing anti-Trump sentiments and voicing support for Kamala Harris, who was his opponent in the last election.
Changing the Tune
Nevertheless, after Trump’s inauguration, key figures from the ruling coalition extended their congratulations—likely swallowing some of their own words in the process. This turn of events is not altogether surprising. Donald Tusk famously once labeled Trump a “Russian agent,” and notably, he did not receive an invitation to the inauguration ceremony.
Recently, Civic Platform MEP Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz also voiced his dissatisfaction with the new political reality from the podium of the European Parliament.
Election Jitters
On TVN24, PSL’s Michał Kamiński expressed deep concern about how these tensions with Washington might play out in the domestic political arena—especially during a high-stakes presidential campaign. He emphasized the need for Poland to maintain sound relations with the United States.
“We Poles, faced with such a divided Europe, badly need Donald Trump. We cannot afford to be in conflict with the American presidency,”
he said, adding that past criticisms and antagonism toward Trump could now prove difficult to overcome.
The ‘Russian Agent’ Remark Looms Large
According to Kamiński, Tusk’s “Russian agent” comment may hinder Poland’s dealings with the U.S. in the months and years ahead. He also warned that PiS could capitalize on it in the presidential election:
“I’m really afraid of the question PiS might raise in the second round of the presidential election: can Poland afford a president and prime minister who are at odds with the United States? As the governing coalition, we have to do everything possible to ensure PiS can’t claim they are the better friends of Trump.”
Fear of U.S. Involvement in Polish Politics
Kamiński went on to speculate that Trump might actively support the opponent of Rafał Trzaskowski—Tusk’s political ally—in the upcoming presidential race.
“Donald Trump is talking about taking over the Panama Canal and Greenland. Make no mistake: if Trump believes his candidate can win in a 40-million-strong country in Europe, he won’t hesitate to get involved. And we still don’t know what it means to have Americans fully engaged in a Polish presidential campaign,”
he explained.
“Sorry, but…”
When asked point-blank by the TVN24 host whether PiS indeed enjoys better relations with Trump than Tusk’s coalition does, Kamiński responded in the affirmative. He referenced Tusk’s earlier statements again:
“Unfortunately, yes. Sorry, but Jarosław Kaczyński never called Donald Trump a Russian agent. We can only hope Trump isn’t the type to hold a grudge—but that’s wishful thinking. We have to find a way to fix this.”
With Poland’s presidential election on the horizon and U.S. relations at stake, coalition leaders are left trying to mend fences—hoping that past remarks do not overshadow future cooperation.