Poland says Pentagon backs permanent US base, with Trump decision due in December

Poland’s defense minister said Tuesday that the Pentagon had given a “green light” to plans for a permanent U.S. military base in the country, with President Donald Trump expected to make a final decision in early December. Speaking after talks with U.S. 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,” he said.

The project has not yet received formal U.S. 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 U.S. military presence in Poland.

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. Poland already hosts thousands of American troops, largely on rotating deployments.