Should be cross posted . . .
Trump Plans Poland Troop Announcement Amid Talk of ‘Fort Trump’
MARGARET TALEV JUNE 11, 2019
President Donald Trump plans to make an announcement Wednesday about U.S. troop commitments in Poland after months of discussions between both nations about establishing a military base in the country that its president has dubbed “Fort Trump.”
The announcement will come as Poland’s President Andrzej Duda meets with Trump at the White House, according to administration officials.
The officials, who briefed reporters on Tuesday on condition of anonymity, wouldn’t say whether there would be an announcement about the base or preview any details about the troop commitment. But they said it would enhance the U.S. commitment to NATO.
They declined to say whether the announcement will involve the permanent stationing of U.S. troops in Poland. They also declined to say whether Trump will visit Poland later this year as part of the new commitment.
Trump and Duda plan to take questions about the announcement at a joint news conference at the White House. Duda’s visit comes 20 years after Poland joined NATO.
While Trump regularly criticizes NATO allies for not spending enough toward their own defense, his administration has held up Poland as an example for meeting the goal of spending 2% of its gross domestic product on defense.