Polish Foreign Ministry and Presidency Clash Over Washington Ambassador Nomination

Exchange over Washington posting

On 5 October 2026, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski and the Presidential Palace engaged in a sharp public confrontation regarding diplomatic appointments and political contacts with the United States. Sikorski stated on social media platform X that President Karol Nawrocki had previously put forward Nikodem Rachoń, an advisor in the Chancellery of the President and brother of TV Republika program director Michał Rachoń, as the candidate for Polish ambassador to Washington. Sikorski tied the nomination to reporting by journalist Dominika Wielowieyska, who reported that during a March meeting, Donald Trump suggested to Polish Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz that he form a government coalition with right-wing parties in exchange for full US backing. According to the reporting, Law and Justice (PiS) Member of the European Parliament Adam Bielan and Nikodem Rachoń presented this concept to American officials.

Now I understand what tasks Nikodem Rachoń, proposed to me by Karol Nawrocki as the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the USA, was supposed to carry out in Washington.

Presidential Palace response and counterclaims

Marcin Przydacz, head of the International Policy Bureau in the Presidential Chancellery, disputed Sikorski's account later that day. Przydacz stated that an agreement on diplomatic nominations had previously been accepted by Sikorski before being blocked by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, adding that the Washington embassy was among the agreed posts. Przydacz argued that Sikorski either accepted Rachoń and saw the appointment vetoed by Tusk, or lied about the proposal while another candidate had been agreed upon. Przydacz maintained that the second scenario was true.

I kindly inform that the agreement on ambassadors was accepted by Radosław Sikorski. It was blocked by Prime Minister Donald Tusk. One of the agreed embassies was the one in Washington.

Background of the diplomatic dispute

The clash follows a long-standing standoff between the foreign ministry and the presidency over ambassadorial appointments. The conflict began in March 2024, when the Foreign Ministry decided to conclude the missions of over 50 ambassadors and withdraw more than a dozen nominations submitted under the previous administration. Then-president Andrzej Duda refused to sign the formal recall documents, citing constitutional powers, which led the ministry to appoint diplomats as chargés d'affaires instead. Karol Nawrocki maintained that stance upon taking office, specifically opposing the appointments of Bogdan Klich in Washington and Ryszard Schnepf in Rome. On 26 January 2026, Nawrocki and Sikorski met at the Presidential Palace to negotiate, and Nawrocki stated in early September 2026 that an agreement had been close before government leadership intervened.

US visits and diplomatic accreditation

The dispute broadened during Przydacz's recent visit to Washington to prepare for the December G20 summit in Miami, where Nawrocki will represent Poland. During the trip, Przydacz met with Michael Needham, deputy national security advisor to Donald Trump, and two deputy secretaries to Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss permanent military basing, troop presence, and defense procurement. Sikorski criticized the trip following a TV Republika broadcast banner, stating that the foreign ministry had not authorized Bielan to discuss the Polish cabinet composition abroad. In response, Przydacz pointed out that Poland still has officially accredited ambassadors who were summoned home without presidential dismissals in countries including the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Portugal, Jordan, the United Kingdom, Lithuania, and Ukraine, reiterating that new ambassadors cannot legally be appointed while predecessors retain their credentials.