US Acting Defence Secretary Shanahan Does Not Rule Out Fort Trump Military Base in Poland

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Acting United States Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan indicated on Tuesday that the Pentagon has not ruled out plans to set up a permanent US military base in Poland named after President Donald Trump, or Fort Trump.
Sputnik

When asked whether there would be a Fort Trump in Poland, Shanahan told reporters, "Well, that's a great question. Why don't we let President Trump make any announcement like that?"

Political Analyst: Fort Trump Idea in Poland Will Fade Away
Shanahan said the Pentagon is committed to continuing the construction of the missile defence base and expects to finish it in accordance with the timetable set out in the Missile Defence Review.

"The construction is continuing. There were some delays that we encountered. But we've got a recovery plan in place that's being executed, and the Missile Defence Agency is supervising that," Shanahan added.

A senior US administration official told reporters on Tuesday that Trump and Polish President Andrzej Duda will make a significant announcement on Wednesday about enhancing deterrence posture in Europe.

The Financial Times reported earlier in June that the United States and Poland are close to inking a deal on increasing the number of US troops stationed in the Eastern European country by at least 1,000. Last year Trump said the United States was considering establishing a permanent military base in Poland.

The Polish president will be in Washington on Wednesday to discuss a range of bilateral interests including security, trade, energy, and deepening the security partnership, the official said.

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