Fort Trump to be Built in Poland
14 February, 2025 Opening ceremony of the first permanent US military base in Poland. March 2023. Poland.
Photo: Polish Ministry of Defense Polish President Andrzej Duda believes that during Donald Trump's second presidency, the Polish-American alliance will be strengthened. This includes the construction of Fort Trump, reports Polsat News, citing Polish President.
According to Duda, during the talks with the U.S. Secretary of Defense, the issues of strengthening the Polish-American military alliance and further US plans for NATO activities were discussed. He recalled that during the previous four years of Donald Trump's presidency "we strengthened Polish security." He also noted that it was then that Poland signed numerous security and defense agreements.
"It was then that decisions were made to deploy the V Corps Command in Poland. At the time, I smiled and said that it would be a kind of Polish Fort Trump. But today, after this conversation, I can tell you without smiling that I deeply believe that Fort Trump will indeed be built in our country and that this period of Donald Trump's presidency will strengthen the Polish-American alliance," Andrzej Duda said after meeting with Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth.
In particular, in 2018, the head of Poland's National Security Bureau, Pawe? Soloch, said that Poland wanted to host permanent bases for U.S. troops. In 2020, an increase in the number of U.S. troops in Poland from 5,000 to 7,000 was agreed upon, as well as the transfer of the U.S.
Army's V Corps Command from Kentucky to Poland.
Opening ceremony of the first permanent US military base in Poland. March 2023. Poland.
Photo credits: Polish Ministry of Defense
The first permanent U.S. military base in Poland was opened in March 2023 during Joe Biden's term in office. "This is a historic event. And it signals that we are here to stay," U.S.
Ambassador Mark Brzezinski stated at the inauguration ceremony. During the meeting, the parties also discussed defense spending by NATO member states. Andrzej Duda emphasized that Poland is currently one of the European countries that play a leading role in this issue.
Polish Defense Minister W?adys?aw Kosiniak-Kamysz signs the contract for the purchase of Apache, August 13, 2024. Photo credits: Rados?aw Ditrich
He assured the U.S. Secretary of Defense that Poland fully supports the decision to increase defense spending within NATO.
Poland already spends almost 5% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defense. In 2025, it is planned to spend PLN 186.5 billion (£47.55 billion) on defense. The funds will come both from the state budget (£31.69 billion).
And at the expense of loans raised by the Armed Forces Support Fund (FWSZ) (£15.87 billion). This amounts to 4.7% of GDP. According to him, the issue of increasing defense spending by NATO countries may be considered during the Alliance summit in The Hague.
He also added that discussions are currently underway at NATO headquarters in Brussels and emphasized their importance for Europe's security.