Lithuania begins preparations for permanent US military base as Trump signals openness
Lithuanian PM Gintautas Sinkevičius has tasked the defense ministry with preparing proposals for a permanent US military base, after President Trump said Washington would consider the idea.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius announced on Tuesday, October 6, that he has instructed the Ministry of National Defence to begin preparatory work for presenting the United States with options and conditions for hosting a permanently stationed American military presence in Lithuania. He said he hopes for continued dialogue with Washington, adding that the idea of a permanent US troop presence has been discussed for some time and that Lithuania is ready to offer the best possible conditions.
The announcement came a day after US President Donald Trump, responding to a question from a Washington correspondent of Lithuanian broadcaster LRT about a potential permanent US base in Lithuania, said Washington would "definitely consider" it, describing Lithuanians as friends and great people.
Defense minister's response
Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė thanked Trump for his positive stance and pledged to work toward establishing a permanent base, while stressing that no concrete decisions have been made yet. Sinkevičius wrote on social media that a permanent US military presence would be an important deterrence and security guarantee, and that partners simply need to make the political decision, since Lithuania is prepared to cover the associated financial costs. This willingness was first voiced in late September, and the matter was also discussed with the US special envoy for Belarus, John Coale, during his visit to Lithuania in September.
Opposition urges caution
Laurynas Kasčiūnas, leader of the opposition conservative Homeland Union party and a former defense minister, urged caution in interpreting Trump's remarks, noting that, as far as he knows, there are no concrete plans yet for a permanent US base and that Vilnius should use diplomatic channels to gauge how serious Washington's intentions are. Currently, US troops in Lithuania are deployed on a rotational basis — more than a thousand soldiers left after completing rotation in summer, though a new rotation including two battalions with Abrams tanks is expected by the end of October.
