Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said Friday that his country will cut the stay of U.S. military aircraft at Sofia's Vasil Levski Airport after the Trump administration did not approve visa-free entry for Bulgarian visitors to the United States.
The decision comes after Radev spoke with President Trump earlier this month, urging the U.S. to allow visa-free travel for Bulgarian citizens. According to Balkan Insight, Radev said he received no positive answer from Washington and therefore cannot respond positively to requests for extended stays of American military aircraft and tankers at Sofia Airport.
Radev said Bulgaria is extending the current permission until June 30 to give allies time to reschedule and find alternative locations. The agreement currently permits up to 15 U.S. military aircraft, equipment and up to 500 personnel to be stationed in Bulgaria.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative foreign policy observers have defended the administration's position, arguing that visa programs exist for legitimate national security reasons and should not be compromised. National Security Council spokesperson Brian Hughes stated that the administration maintains high standards for visa eligibility to protect Americans from potential security threats.
Republican lawmakers have pointed to existing immigration concerns as justification for maintaining current visa screening procedures. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has argued that U.S. visa policy must remain consistent and based on security assessments rather than diplomatic quid pro quos.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive analysts and Democratic lawmakers have expressed concern that tying security cooperation to visa policy could undermine broader diplomatic relationships with allied nations. Representative Jason Crow of Colorado, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, has previously argued that forward-deployed U.S. assets in Eastern Europe serve critical deterrence functions against Russian aggression in the region.
Human rights organizations have noted that Bulgaria has faced challenges meeting U.S. visa eligibility requirements under the Visa Waiver Program, which requires countries to meet specific security and document standards. Some progressive commentators argue the visa dispute reflects broader inequities in how Washington applies travel restrictions to citizens of Eastern European nations compared to Western European allies.
What the Numbers Show
Under the expiring agreement, Bulgaria hosts U.S. military assets including Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport jets, Boeing C-17 Globemaster III heavy-lift transport aircraft and Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft.
Bulgaria is not currently part of the Visa Waiver Program, meaning Bulgarian citizens must obtain visas to travel to the United States. The program includes 41 countries, predominantly Western European nations, but excludes most Eastern European countries including Bulgaria, Romania and Poland.
The U.S. has maintained a military presence in Bulgaria since a 2006 bilateral defense cooperation agreement was signed. American forces have used Vrazhdebna Air Base near Sofia for training exercises and logistical operations.
The Bottom Line
The dispute highlights growing tensions between Washington and Sofia over what Radev's government views as an imbalance in the bilateral relationship. Bulgarian officials argue that hosting U.S. military assets should be reciprocated with easier travel access for Bulgarian citizens.
The White House did not respond to requests for comment on the visa program or future basing arrangements. The June 30 deadline gives both sides approximately four months to negotiate a potential resolution before American aircraft and personnel would need to relocate.
What happens next depends largely on whether the Trump administration decides to reconsider its position on visa-free travel for Bulgarians, a decision that would require coordination between the State Department and Department of Homeland Security. Without movement on that front, Bulgaria's government has made clear it views the current arrangement as untenable.