The Pentagon’s own account stopped short of endorsing the base or confirming the December timetable, but acknowledged ongoing talks about strengthening the permanent U.S. military presence in Poland.

Hegseth praised Poland’s military buildup, calling its army “one of the most formidable” in Europe. He also pushed for European NATO allies to take greater responsibility for their own defense, potentially allowing Washington to reduce its troop presence on the continent.

Poland already hosts thousands of American troops, largely on rotating deployments. But Warsaw is pushing for a permanent base as the Pentagon reviews its military presence across Europe, with other NATO allies fearing Trump could withdraw thousands more troops. The review is expected to conclude by December.

The project is also a rare point of agreement between Poland's feuding leaders. Prime Minister Donald Tusk and President Karol Nawrocki — a Trump ally whom the U.S. president backed in last year's election — agreed last week to cooperate on securing the base, despite their bitter confrontation over control of Poland's top court.

Nawrocki has embraced the proposed name “Fort Trump,” first floated by his predecessor, Andrzej Duda, in 2018.

The U.S. Department of Defense didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

This article has been updated.