Trump says he would consider US military base in Lithuania

President Donald Trump indicated he would "certainly look at" the possibility of establishing a US military base in Lithuania, in response to a journalist's question. He described Lithuanians as "friends and great people." This statement follows an offer from Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius, who stated last week that Lithuania would be prepared to pay for hosting an American base and would provide the best possible conditions for service members.

The US is currently conducting a six-month review of its military presence in Europe, which is expected to conclude in December. This review may involve shifting more responsibility for conventional defense to European NATO allies. The United States has confirmed that a new rotation of service members is en route to Lithuania, ending several months of uncertainty regarding the American military presence. Previously, around 1,000 US troops departed Lithuania in June without immediate replacement.

Bradley Bowman, senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, noted that Baltic countries are keen to host more European and American forces due to their proximity to Russia. Last month, Trump also mentioned progress in establishing a US Army base in Poland. The decision to continue a rotational presence in Lithuania is seen as significant, especially as the US has reduced troop numbers in other parts of Eastern Europe.