Key facts
- Kosiniak-Kamysz said Hegseth told him 'everything is moving in the right direction' on the base.
- The Pentagon's account acknowledged talks on strengthening the permanent US military presence in Poland.
- Hegseth praised Poland's military buildup, calling its army 'one of the most formidable' in Europe.
- Poland hosts thousands of American troops, largely on rotating deployments, and seeks a permanent base.
- The Pentagon is reviewing its military presence across Europe, with the review expected to conclude by December.
- Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Karol Nawrocki agreed last week to cooperate on securing the base.
Poland's defense minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, said on November 10, 2026 that the Pentagon had 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. He spoke after talks with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Washington, saying Hegseth told him that 'everything is moving in the right direction.' Kosiniak-Kamysz said: '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. Hegseth praised Poland's military buildup, calling its army 'one of the most formidable' in Europe, and 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, 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 review is expected to conclude by December. The project is also 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 US Department of Defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment.