Donald Trump Posthumously Awards Sergeant Ollis for Saving Polish Soldier

On Monday at the White House, U.S. President Donald Trump posthumously presented the Medal of Honor to the family of Sergeant Michael Ollis, who in 2013 in Afghanistan shielded Polish officer Captain Karol Cierpica with his own body from a suicide bomber's explosion. During the ceremony, attended by the rescued Pole, the American leader described Ollis as an exceptional hero and emphasized the strong bonds between the two nations. Trump also unexpectedly referred to the Polish political scene, praising incumbent President Karol Nawrocki and predicting his success in upcoming state challenges. The event was interpreted as a clear signal of support for the conservative power center in Warsaw amid the ongoing conflict of competencies with the government. Meanwhile, in the country, the main topic of public debate remains the SAFE program. President Nawrocki, while in Mikołajki, expressed skepticism towards the current shape of the bill, describing some government actions as „unacceptable”. The head of state argues that the Polish armed forces were developing effectively even before the announcement of this program, and the current proposals may contain unfavorable formal solutions. In opposition to the president's stance are the results of the latest public opinion polls, which suggest that most Poles support the country's participation in this initiative, viewing it as a key element in strengthening national security. Poland and the USA have been systematically strengthening military cooperation since the 1990s, resulting in, among other things, joint missions in Iraq and Afghanistan and the presence of U.S. troops on NATO's eastern flank. The government side of the dispute, represented by, among others, the Deputy Minister of National Defense, appeals to the president for a substantive debate instead of a political bidding war on radicalism. Voices are emerging suggesting that there is pressure within the army preventing soldiers from freely speaking about the reform, as raised by MP Marek Suski. The tense atmosphere between the Presidential Palace and the Prime Minister's Chancellery concerns not only substantive issues but also the method of communicating changes in the security system. In the background, proposals to expand nuclear cooperation under the Nuclear Sharing program are emerging, further complicating the picture of Polish defense policy in the face of an unstable situation in the Middle East and on the eastern border. „It is a great honor to have Karol here. Sergeant Ollis saved a Polish warrior by giving his ultimate sacrifice. Poland is a great country and will have a great president.” — Donald Trump Internal disputes over the future of Poland's defense strategy overlap with a dynamic information campaign, in which each side tries to convince citizens of its vision of state priorities. President Nawrocki announced the establishment of a new Council of Local Government, which may be an attempt to build a broader base of support for his position in contrast to the government's central policy.