The proposal to name the future US permanent military base in Poland “Fort Trump” is humiliating and lacks foresight, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said on Thursday.
President Karol Nawrocki said on Wednesday that the potential US military base would be called “Fort Trump” after US President Donald Trump, and expressed hope that its construction would be completed during Trump’s presidency.
“The government and the president are working together to create a permanent US base in Poland, but I consider the proposal to name it ‘Fort Trump’ a demonstration of such humiliation … I know this is the manner in the States, but first, it does not command respect, and secondly, it is risky,” Sikorski told journalists.
Sikorski added that the US Congress needs to authorize financing, which could be at risk if it goes to the Democrats after this November’s midterm elections.
He suggested that Ronald Reagan was more deserving of having a military base named after him.
“It seems to me that both in Poland and in the States we have heroes who would cause less controversy in Congress. I am thinking of Pulawski, Kosciuszko, or, if we want political figures, I would prefer Ronald Reagan,” Sikorski said.
In early June, Poland officially proposed to the US that a permanent military base be created on its territory. A US delegation recently visited Poland to select a location for the base.