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Polish President Karol Nawrocki said securing a permanent U.S. military presence in Poland was a strategic national objective as he visited Washington for expected talks with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Speaking during his trip on Sunday, Nawrocki said Poland wanted more American troops stationed on its territory and argued that close relations between the Polish and U.S. presidents served Warsaw’s national interests.
“The more American soldiers in Poland, the better,” Nawrocki said.
He described a permanent American military presence as one of Poland’s key security goals amid continuing concerns over Russia and uncertainty surrounding the future of U.S. deployments in Europe.
Successive Polish governments have pressed for a larger and more permanent American military presence, particularly since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Warsaw has argued that Poland’s position on NATO’s eastern flank makes it the most logical location for long-term U.S. deployments.
Polish officials view a permanent American presence as a stronger deterrent against Russia and a demonstration of Washington’s commitment to the alliance’s eastern members.
The issue gained renewed importance earlier this year when the Trump administration reviewed the deployment of U.S. forces across Europe, raising concerns in Warsaw that American troop numbers could eventually be reduced.
Those concerns eased in May when Trump announced that the U.S. would deploy an additional 5,000 troops to Poland.
Trump cited Poland’s defense spending and his relationship with Nawrocki when announcing the deployment.
The decision followed confusion over the cancellation or delay of a planned troop rotation and was welcomed by Polish officials.
Poland currently spends close to 5% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defense, placing it among NATO’s highest military spenders.
The country has also invested heavily in infrastructure designed to support American forces and larger allied deployments.
U.S. troop numbers in Poland have increased significantly over the past decade, although no permanent American base has been established.
During Trump’s first presidency, the proposal for such a base was informally referred to as “Fort Trump.”
The project was never completed, but the idea of a permanent U.S. installation has remained part of Poland’s security debate.
Warsaw continues to argue that a lasting American deployment would strengthen NATO’s deterrence and improve the security of the alliance’s eastern flank.
The question of a permanent U.S. military presence also carries political importance for Nawrocki, who has cultivated close ties with Trump since winning Poland’s presidential election in early June.
Trump endorsed Nawrocki during the Polish presidential campaign and has repeatedly described Poland as a model NATO ally.
Nawrocki said maintaining strong ties between the two presidencies was in Poland’s interest.
His Washington visit comes as Poland seeks reassurance that the U.S. will maintain and expand its military commitment to the country despite broader discussions about American force levels in Europe.
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