The US Army has canceled plans to send the 1st Cavalry Division's 2nd Armored Brigade, comprising over 4,000 troops and associated equipment, to Poland, Defense News reported, citing an unnamed Army official.

The cancellation decision was formalized in a Pentagon memorandum dated May 1 and caught the service members themselves by surprise—word of the cancellation had already begun spreading among the soldiers and their families on Tuesday morning. Part of the brigade's advance echelon was already in Poland, and equipment was en route, when the decision was made. These soldiers are ordered to return to the United States.

The reasons for the cancellation have not been officially disclosed. According to ABC News, the Pentagon faces a budget shortfall of between $4 billion and $6 billion due to ongoing operations, including the deployment of the National Guard to Washington and participation in border security.

The brigade's cancellation comes amid a broader drawdown of the American military presence in Europe. The Pentagon previously announced the withdrawal of approximately 5 troops from Germany. According to the source, the overall reductions in Europe mean the elimination of one of the four rotational brigades currently deployed in the region. Currently, approximately 10 American troops are stationed in Poland.