Poland formally requests new permanent US military base

Jun 3, 2026 | Defence, Politics

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Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and is published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.

The Polish government has formally requested that the United States establish a new permanent military base in Poland. The announcement comes shortly after President Donald Trump pledged to send 5,000 additional American troops to the country.

“I have conveyed to US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth an official proposal to establish a new, permanent US military base in Poland,” wrote Polish defence minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz on social media on Wednesday afternoon.

“US engagement in Poland’s security is not diminishing – on the contrary, it may be even greater!” he added. “A secure Poland means a strong army, a strong society, and also strong alliances.”

Speaking at a subsequent press conference, Kosiniak-Kamysz noted that “final decisions have not been made yet, but we are on the right track”, reports news website Onet.

“We will do everything we can to increase the presence of American troops and create the best possible conditions for our American partner,” he added. “The American side expects details and commitment…and we are currently working on this.”

At present, Poland hosts around 10,000 US troops (though the precise number varies depending on rotational deployments), and Kosiniak-Kamysz noted that Poland currently spends around $15,000 a year for each one. But “this is not a cost, it is an investment”, he emphasised.

 

The United States has long been Poland’s most important security partner. In 2023, it established its first military garrison in Poland. The following year, it opened a new missile defence base in the country.

However, there has recently been uncertainty over the size and nature of the US military presence in Poland going forward.

When, in early May, Trump ordered the withdrawal of 5,000 US personnel from Germany, Poland expressed openness to hosting them.

However, that was followed later in the month by confusion when a planned rotational deployment of around 4,000 American troops to Poland was put on hold at the last minute.

Subsequently, the US Department of Defence confirmed that it intended to retain “a strong military presence in Poland”, which it called “a model ally” whose example other NATO countries should follow. Poland has by far the highest relative defence budget in NATO, at 4.8% of GDP this year.

Trump himself then announced on social media that the US would send “an additional 5,000 troops to Poland”. He said the decision was based on his strong relationship with Polish President Karol Nawrocki, who is a close ally of Trump.

However, since Trump’s announcement, there have been no details regarding the deployment of his promised 5,000 extra troops.

Earlier on Wednesday, before Kosiniak-Kamysz’s announcement, broadcaster Radio Zet published a poll by the IBRiS agency asking if Poland should host a new US military base. Just over 44% of respondents approved of the idea while 41% were opposed.

Opinion polls have recently shown declining trust in the United States under Trump’s leadership. In February, one survey showed that over half of Poles, 53%, do not regard the US as a reliable ally while only 30% said that they do.

Last year, a regular international study by the Pew Research Centre found that only 35% of Poles had confidence in Trump to do the right thing in world affairs, down from 75% who had had confidence in President Joe Biden a year earlier.


Notes from Poland is run by a small editorial team and published by an independent, non-profit foundation that is funded through donations from our readers. We cannot do what we do without your support.

Main image credit: NATO/Flickr (under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

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