This Sunday, former President Donald Trump and Polish President Andrzej Duda are expected to attend the same event in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state in the upcoming presidential election.
Both leaders have a strong interest in courting Polish-American voters, a significant demographic in Pennsylvania.
While a formal meeting between Trump and Duda has not been confirmed, Duda’s office has indicated that if Trump attends the event, a discussion between the two leaders would be expected.
Duda’s team has noted that the primary focus of any potential talks would be on enhancing security and strengthening Poland’s international standing.
Pennsylvania holds one of the largest Polish-American populations in the United States, making it a strategic state for both Trump and his Democratic rival, President Joe Biden, who won the state in 2020 after Trump carried it in 2016.
Vice President Kamala Harris has also been courting Polish-American voters, recently arguing that Trump’s opposition to U.S. support for Ukraine could endanger the security of Poland and Europe at large.
Duda, who is in the U.S. for the United Nations General Assembly, will attend a Roman Catholic Mass at the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, followed by the unveiling of a monument dedicated to the anti-communist Solidarity movement.
Trump’s campaign confirmed that the former president is expected to attend the same event, which is likely to draw significant attention from the Polish-American community.
Malgorzata Paprocka, head of Duda’s office, said she expects the meeting to happen if Trump accepts the invitation, noting the importance of maintaining strong ties between Poland and the United States, regardless of who is in power.
Duda and Trump have a history of warm relations. During Duda’s 2020 reelection campaign, then-President Trump hosted him at the White House, a move that gave Duda a boost among Polish voters at a crucial time.
The two leaders met again in New York earlier this year, where Trump referred to Duda as a “friend.”
For Trump, a potential meeting with Duda could bolster his support among Polish-American voters, a group that has traditionally leaned Republican but remains a key target in a state where every vote counts.
