Trump Touts ‘Major Progress’ on Plans for New US Base in Poland
President Donald Trump said “major progress” is being made to establish a new US Army base in Poland, even as the Pentagon plans to reduce American forces in Europe.
“If this happens, the location will be announced very soon,” Trump wrote Thursday on social media, without elaborating on the base plans. “This will be a historic step for our Great U.S./Polish Alliance.”
Poland is among the biggest NATO defense spenders as a percentage of its economic output and has been pushing for an increased US presence, even offering to pay in part for a new base. During Trump’s first term, the then-Polish president even suggested naming the base “Fort Trump.”
The Trump administration has sought to shift the burden of defense to other members of NATO, including through a review of the US troop presence in Europe. Trump has stepped up calls for Europe to take on more responsibility for collective security, driven in part by anger over what he sees as insufficient support from NATO allies for the war in Iran.
Officials have singled out Poland, as well as Germany, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries, for their investments in defense.
In May, Trump said he would send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland, reversing course on a plan to suspend an Army deployment to the country amid the president’s anger with other NATO allies over the Iran war.
The US already has around 10,000 troops stationed in Poland, mostly on a rotational basis, with Camp Kościuszko acting as the primary location in the country.
Poland has been very vocal about fears of Russian aggression after the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine. Earlier Thursday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that Russia plans to launch “hybrid-style” drone and missile strikes against nations supporting Ukraine.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
