Poland seeks permanent US troop presence as Nawrocki meets Trump in Washington

Poland's "strategic objective" is a permanent American military presence on its territory, President Karol Nawrocki said Sunday during a visit to the United States, where he is expected to hold talks with President Donald Trump.

Speaking during his trip to Washington, DC, Nawrocki said "the more American soldiers in Poland, the better," adding that a permanent US military presence remained a key Polish goal. He argued that close ties between the Polish and US presidents were in Poland's national interest.

The visit comes amid renewed debate over the future of the US military footprint in Europe. Earlier this year, the Trump administration reviewed American force deployments on the continent, raising concerns in Warsaw that troop numbers could eventually be reduced.

Those concerns eased in May when Trump announced that the US would deploy an additional 5,000 troops to Poland, citing both Poland's defense spending and his relationship with Nawrocki. The move followed confusion over the cancellation or delay of a planned troop rotation and was widely welcomed by Polish officials.

Successive Polish governments have sought a larger and more permanent US military presence, particularly since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Warsaw has consistently argued that Poland, as NATO's frontline state on the alliance's eastern flank, offers the most logical location for long-term American deployments. The country now spends close to 5% of GDP on defense, among the highest levels in NATO, and has invested heavily in military infrastructure designed to support US forces.

The idea of a permanent American base in Poland was once informally dubbed "Fort Trump" during Trump's first presidency. While no such base was ultimately created, US troop numbers in Poland have risen significantly over the past decade.

For Poland, a permanent American presence would provide a stronger deterrent against Russia and reinforce Washington's commitment to NATO's eastern flank.

The issue is also symbolically important for Nawrocki, who has cultivated close ties with Trump since he won Poland's presidential election in early June. Trump endorsed Nawrocki during the Polish presidential campaign and has repeatedly praised Poland as a model NATO ally.