US Army base in Poland? Trump claims ‘major progress’. All we know about permanent military presence on NATO’s eastern flank
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "US Army base in Poland? Trump claims ‘major progress’. All we know about permanent military presence on NATO’s eastern flank")
US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Polish President Karol Nawrocki (L) in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC on September 3, 2025. Photograph: (AFP)
Donald Trump says the US and Poland have made “major progress” towards establishing an American Army base, with the location potentially to be announced soon. But what exactly has been agreed, and why does Warsaw want a permanent US presence?
US President Donald Trump on Thursday (Sep 17) said “major progress” had been made towards establishing a US Army base in Poland. This comes as Warsaw and Washington continue talks on expanding the American military presence in the NATO ally.
“Thanks to the bold leadership of my friend, Karol Nawrocki, President of Poland, major progress is being made toward establishing a U.S. Army base in Poland,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
“If this happens, the location will be announced very soon. This will be a historic step for our Great U.S./Polish Alliance,” he added.
Polish President Karol Nawrocki welcomed the development, saying Warsaw was ready to continue efforts to strengthen defence cooperation with the United States. “We are ready to continue our efforts to strengthen our defense cooperation: seriously, responsibly, and always together,” Nawrocki said on X. He added that the Polish government would do its utmost to provide a suitable location for the US Army base.
Notably, the prospect of a permanent US base would further deepen military ties between Warsaw and Washington.
Trump did not provide a date for announcing the location or details of the proposed base. Reuters reported that discussions remain underway.
Poland seeks permanent US military presence
Poland has for years sought a larger and more permanent American military presence as it reinforces NATO's eastern flank following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
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US and Polish officials have already been holding discussions on the issue. In September, Polish Defence Ministry officials met a US delegation led by Deputy Assistant Secretary of War William Cappelletti to discuss the conditions for an enhanced American military presence. The two sides agreed on a timetable for further consultations and working groups.
In June, Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said the Pentagon had responded positively to Warsaw's proposal for a permanent US military presence. At the time, however, no final decision had been announced.
Poland currently hosts thousands of US troops, but much of the American deployment has been rotational rather than based permanently in the country.
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Move comes amid US review of troops in Europe
Trump's announcement comes as Washington reviews the deployment of US forces in Europe, a process that has raised questions among European allies about the future size and distribution of American forces.
For Warsaw, expanding the US presence has become a central part of its defence planning. Poland borders both Ukraine and Russia and has been pushing for stronger allied capabilities along NATO's eastern flank.
Defence spending target
The proposed US base also comes against the backdrop of a broader NATO push for higher defence spending.
At the 2025 NATO summit in The Hague, allied leaders agreed to invest 5 per cent of GDP annually in defence and security by 2035. At least 3.5 per cent is to go towards core military requirements, while up to 1.5 per cent can cover broader defence and security-related spending, including infrastructure and resilience.
