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Polish President Andrzej Duda has confirmed that the United States will not cut back on its military presence along NATO’s eastern flank after concerns arose over shifting US defense priorities and calls for increased European defense spending.
Some shit you should know before you read: For years, President Trump has criticized European NATO members for not contributing enough to their own defense, accusing them of relying too heavily on US military protection while failing to meet their financial obligations. He has repeatedly demanded that NATO countries increase their defense spending to at least 2% of GDP, and more recently, he has pushed for a 5% target. Trump has gone so far as to warn that nations failing to meet these thresholds should not expect automatic US protection, even suggesting that he would not defend NATO allies who do not pay their “fair share” in the event of an attack. His stance has sparked anxiety among European leaders, who fear that a reduced US commitment to NATO could weaken the alliance and embolden adversaries like Russia.
What’s going on now: Amid concerns that the Trump administration was considering cutting back USS troop levels in Europe, Polish President Andrzej Duda said he received reassurances from both US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Special Envoy Keith Kellogg that the American military presence in Poland would not be reduced. Instead, Duda suggested that the US commitment to NATO’s eastern flank could be strengthened, reviving discussions about establishing a permanent US military base in Poland, which he had previously proposed as “Fort Trump.”
Originally pitched during a 2018 visit to the White House, the base was meant to solidify US military commitments in the region, though it was never implemented. Currently, around 10,000 US troops are stationed in Poland on a rotational basis, an increase that followed Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
This all comes as US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently wrapped up a visit to Poland, where he praised the country as a “model NATO ally” for its commitment to military investment and regional security. Poland has significantly ramped up its defense spending in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, allocating 4.2% of its GDP to defense in 2024, with plans to increase it to 4.7%—the highest percentage among NATO members. During his visit, Secretary Hegseth said Poland’s rapid military expansion and willingness to strengthen its armed forces make it a key pillar of NATO’s eastern flank.
His visit also came amid growing concerns over Russian aggression, as some Russian officials, including former President Dmitry Medvedev, have occasionally warned that Poland could become a future target of Russian military action. These threats, whether exaggerated or not, continue to raise alarm among Polish officials, who cite them as justification to increase defense spending.
