Trump Announces ‘Major Progress’ in Establishing US Army Base in Poland

Significant progress is being made toward the establishment of a U.S. Army base in Poland, according to President Donald Trump.

Trump said the establishment of a U.S. Army base in the NATO member state would be a “historic step” for the alliance between the United States and Poland. The U.S. Army Garrison Poland currently has a presence in Poland but does not have a permanent base in the country.

“GREAT NEWS! 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,” he wrote in a Truth Social statement on Sept. 17. “If this happens, the location will be announced very soon.”

Polish Deputy Defense Minister Paweł Zalewski said last month that Poland was holding discussions with Pentagon officials about establishing several U.S. military bases in the country.

In response to Trump’s announcement on Thursday, Nawrocki thanked him for his strong commitment to the U.S.-Poland partnership.

“We are ready to continue our efforts to strengthen our defense cooperation: seriously, responsibly, and always together,” he wrote in a statement on X. “I can assure you that the Polish government will do its utmost to provide the best possible location for the US Army base.”

Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz also released a statement Thursday, describing Trump’s comments as a “very important declaration” and a confirmation of the strategic cooperation between the two countries.

Following an Aug. 27 meeting of the North Atlantic Council at NATO’s headquarters in Brussels, Zalewski confirmed that he had met with Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby regarding potential base plans.

“The American presence in Poland can encompass various defense capabilities,” Zalewski told Polish Radio at the time. “We believe it doesn’t have to be concentrated in one place. Of course, there are several locations we want to discuss with the U.S. side where such a presence would be truly massive. However, we are still talking about several bases and several locations.”

There are currently about 10,000 U.S. troops stationed in Poland. The U.S. military leads NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group in the country and deploys a rotational armored brigade combat team as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve.

Poland’s government formally requested that the U.S. military establish permanent bases in June after Trump pledged to send 5,000 additional U.S. troops to the country.

Following the meeting in August, Zalewski suggested that the establishment of U.S. bases in Poland would be beneficial to the United States beyond the immediate reaction to the war between Russia and Ukraine.

“A permanent U.S. presence would reflect America’s long-term strategic interest in the country, not merely respond to the recent activities of Russia,” he said.

The Epoch Times reached out to the Pentagon, the U.S. Army, the White House, and the Polish Embassy and did not receive a response before publication time.

Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, also known as the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, expressed gratitude to Poland on Thursday for what he described as “amazing progress” toward the establishment of a U.S. Army base in the country.

“Poland is a model ally and knows well that freedom is not free,” Wilson stated. “Peace through Strength requires strong deterrence. For our freedom and yours!”

Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) also applauded the development, suggesting that the best deterrence to Russian aggression was having a “forward presence” in Eastern Europe.

The United States and Poland signed a $4 billion loan guarantee agreement on Sept. 9 that will allow Poland to purchase additional military equipment manufactured by the United States.

NATO has estimated that Poland will have spent 4.68 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defense in 2026, which puts the country among the highest spenders by GDP in the alliance.

Jill McLaughlin contributed to this report.