Lithuanian politicians welcome Trump’s base remark but await plans
Tuesday 6th October 2026 on 09:15 in
Lithuania
Lithuanian politicians welcomed US President Donald Trump’s comment that he would consider establishing a US military base in Lithuania, but said there was no information about concrete plans or action, LRT reported.
Trump made the remark on Monday in response to a question from LRT journalist Augustinas Šemelis. He praised Lithuania and said he knew many Lithuanians, describing them as “wonderful people”.
Earlier, Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius said Lithuania was ready to cover the costs of permanently stationing US troops in the country and would welcome the establishment of a US military base, according to The Washington Sun.
Laurynas Kasčiūnas, a former defence minister and leader of the Conservatives, told reporters at the Seimas on Tuesday that Trump’s words were encouraging, but that he knew of no concrete plans. He said diplomats should contact the Pentagon, assess the options and present Lithuania’s capabilities as a host country.
Kasčiūnas said Trump’s comment might have been a positive statement without any planning behind it, as the United States reviews its military posture in Europe. He said the US appeared inclined to reduce its presence, while retaining strategic capabilities, nuclear weapons and conventional forces on a smaller scale.
He added that the United States was increasingly expecting Europe to develop capabilities it lacked, including long-range strike systems, missile defence, intelligence, bombers and logistics. Kasčiūnas said Lithuanian diplomats and defence officials should establish whether Washington was serious about a permanent presence.
Kasčiūnas said Lithuania could find the resources to host US troops permanently if the idea became a serious plan. He pointed to infrastructure in Pabradė, which he said had been significantly improved since construction work planned in 2022. It could now support a longer stay than six or nine months, he said, although it was not yet at the level of a permanent base.
Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said he had presented the possibility of establishing a permanent US military base in Lithuania to American partners during a visit to the United States.