US troop rotation ends in Lithuania amid uncertainty; Trump thanks Vilnius for Hormuz demining offer
More than 1,000 U.S. troops with equipment have begun withdrawing from Lithuania as Washington reviews its force posture in Europe, with no confirmed timeline for replacements. Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas insisted Lithuania has done its 'homework'—building infrastructure to host up to 1,500 American troops—and said in a regional 'rat race' to retain U.S. forces, 'Lithuania is leading.' President Nausėda received a letter from Donald Trump thanking Lithuania for offering up to 40 personnel for mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz, a deployment now moving through the Seimas under urgency procedure. Separately, Kaunas met U.S. National Guard chief Gen. Steven Nordhaus to expand cooperation including counter-drone defence. On the economy, Eurostat ranked Lithuania 8th in the EU for annual Q1 GDP growth (2.6%) and first for quarterly employment growth.
Why it matters
As a NATO frontline state bordering Russia and Kaliningrad, Lithuania views a permanent U.S. presence as a core deterrent against Moscow, making any drawdown—even temporary—politically sensitive. The episode reflects broader Baltic anxiety over the Trump administration's European force review, while Vilnius simultaneously courts Washington by offering niche contributions (Hormuz demining) to demonstrate it is a reliable, burden-sharing ally.
🔎 Ground signal
Lawmaker Laurynas Kasčiūnas predicts U.S. troops will stay but at reduced scale; the gap between official reassurances of 'replacements coming' and the absence of any confirmed timeline is the underlying worry locally.