In front of Presidents Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron, United States Defense Minister Pitt Hegshez denied reports of US forces withdrawal from Alexandroupolis.

“It’s not the right story.” With this position, US Defense Minister Pete Hegsheth denied the Greek newspaper report that had argued on Sunday that the new Donald Trump government is preparing to close the base in the Alexandroupolis serving US troops. The US president was asked about this issue by a journalist during joint statements with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Oval Office. Donald Trump appeared not to know the issue and turned his head to the defense minister who replied that the story was not respected.

At the same time, an American Pentagon official denied these reports, noting that it is not an US military base, but a Greece, in which the US has access to the Framework of Mutual Defense Cooperation (MDCA).

The same official stressed that the installation is used exclusively as a hub of surface transport, to cross military equipment to and from Europe. US staff are periodically moving to the area to manage temporary arrivals and equipment departures.

“This is not an American base, so there is no basis that has been closed,” the official said.