Poland says Pentagon backs permanent US base, with Trump decision due in December
Poland's defense minister said the Pentagon has given a 'green light' to plans for a permanent US military base in Poland, with President Donald Trump expected to make a final decision in early December.
Speaking after talks with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Washington, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said his American counterpart told him that 'everything is moving in the right direction.'
We interpret that as a green light from the Pentagon.
The project has not yet received formal US approval. The Pentagon's own account stopped short of endorsing the base or confirming the December timetable, but acknowledged ongoing talks about strengthening the permanent US military presence in Poland.
European Defense
Hegseth praised Poland's military buildup, calling its army 'one of the most formidable' in Europe. He also pushed for European NATO allies to take greater responsibility for their own defense, potentially allowing Washington to reduce its troop presence on the continent.
Political Agreement
Poland already hosts thousands of American troops, largely on rotating deployments. But Warsaw is pushing for a permanent base as the Pentagon reviews its military presence across Europe, with other NATO allies fearing Trump could withdraw thousands more troops.
The project is a rare point of agreement between Poland's feuding leaders. Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Karol Nawrocki — a Trump ally whom the US president backed in last year's election — agreed last week to cooperate on securing the base, despite their bitter confrontation over control of Poland's top court.
Nawrocki has embraced the proposed name 'Fort Trump,' first floated by his predecessor, Andrzej Duda, in 2018. The review is expected to conclude by December.
Related
