Trump says he will ‘certainly look at’ establishing US military base in Lithuania
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump said Monday he would “certainly look at” setting up a US military base in Lithuania, interest in the idea as the Pentagon rethinks its military positions in Europe.
Trump responded after reporters asked about Lithuania’s offer to host American troops. Last week, Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius announced his country was ready to pay for a US base, an offer that lines up with Trump’s frequent push for NATO allies to take on more of the costs of hosting US forces.
Lithuania offers to pay for US military base
"They're friends of mine; they're great people, so we'll certainly look at it. They are great people," the president said when asked by a reporter about the country's invitation.
Q: Lithuania has invited the U.S. to establish a permanent U.S. base in Lithuania. Trump: We will certainly look at it. I know so many people in Lithuania. They are great people. https://t.co/dPamjteoiq
— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 5, 2026
"I know so many people in that country; they're great people."
Last week, Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevicius said his country was "ready to pay the bill" for a US military base.
"We would definitely go for it if they're ready, and we would ensure the best possible conditions for the troops, for the base to be established in Lithuania," Sinkevicius said in an interview with Bloomberg TV.
Trump's comment comes as he has consistently called on NATO allies to foot the bill for hosting US troops in their nations and as the Pentagon conducts its six-month review of US military posture in Europe.
We deeply value the U.S. decision to deploy troops to Lithuania. This is a critically important guarantee of deterrence and security. Until now, U.S. troops in Lithuania have been on a rotational basis - with decisions on extensions being made regularly. During my meeting with U.S. Special Envoy J. Coale, I proposed that the U.S. could establish a permanent base in Lithuania. I am glad that this idea is being taken seriously. @potus only needs to make a political decision and #Lithuania is ready to cover the associated costs. Camp Herkus awaits you!
— Mindaugas Sinkevičius (@mindaugassink) October 5, 2026
Trump weighs expanded US military presence in Europe
Lithuania sits just under 70 miles from Russia, making security a constant concern. As one of the three Baltic states and a NATO member, Lithuania has pushed hard for a strong allied military presence on its soil.
Right now, the US does not keep a major base in Lithuania. Last month, though, Washington announced plans to send a new group of service members there.
The talk about expanding America's presence comes while the Pentagon runs a six-month review of its military posture in Europe.
🇺🇸🇱🇹 Trump says the U.S. will consider establishing a permanent military base in Lithuania, with Lithuania offering to cover the costs itself. Alongside the proposed “Fort Trump” in neighboring Poland, it could put permanent U.S. forces at two points on NATO’s eastern flank directly beside Russia’s heavily militarized Kaliningrad exclave. The region has already seen Russian airspace violations, drone incursions, and repeated NATO interceptions. What happens if the next Russian incursion takes place miles away from an American base? Source: Bloomberg / Writer: Mhedi
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) October 6, 2026
The review wraps up in December and will likely look at shifting more routine defense duties to NATO partners in Europe.
Last month, the US confirmed it is dispatching a new rotation of service members to Lithuania.
"Baltic countries are understandably interested in hosting as much European and American allied military power as possible because they are closest to the Russian bear and understand it best," Bradley Bowman, the senior director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies Center for Military and Political Power, said in a statement Monday.
"As our Baltic allies have warned for many years, the only thing [Russian President Vladimir] Putin respects is hard power, and that is why conditions-ignoring American military withdrawals from Europe are so ill-advised, especially when we see growing Russian aggression," Bowman said.
Trump has also discussed expanding the US military footprint elsewhere in Eastern Europe. Last month, he announced that the United States was making “major progress” toward establishing an Army base in Poland.
