Laurynas Kasčiūnas (born 8 January 1982) is a Lithuanian right-wing politician, political analyst, Member of the Seimas for the Homeland Union, and Minister of National Defence of Lithuania from 25 March 2024 to 11 December 2024, replacing Arvydas Anušauskas.

[14] He attempted to ban the ability for Russian and Belarusian citizens to obtain Lithuanian citizenship, but his proposal was withdrawn after opposition from the rest of the coalition.

[15] During the 2021 border crisis, he claimed: We need to create some kind of cost system so that it doesn't pay to do it [immigrate to Lithuania].

He announced that his main tasks in his position will be to implement the principle of universal defence, prepare to receive a permanently deployed Bundeswehr brigade, pursue conscription reform and national agreement on additional funds for defense, and develop drone production capabilities.

[5] Kasčiūnas has been named as a possible successor to Gabrielius Landsbergis as chairman of the Homeland Union, representing the right wing of the party.

[18] Kasčiūnas has been regularly criticized by human rights organizations for his hardline anti-immigration attitudes and discriminatory statements.

[19] After he was proposed for the office of Minister of National Defence, 20 human rights organizations published an open letter to President Gitanas Nausėda, requesting him to not appoint Kasčiūnas.

[20] Members of the Social Democratic Party of Lithuania Vytenis Povilas Andriukaitis and Tadas Vinokur reached out to the Social Democratic Party of Germany, inquiring whether the appointment of a "far-right minister" would not jeopardize Lithuania's relations with Germany and the plan to deploy a Bundeswehr brigade on Lithuanian territory.

[23] Kasčiūnas participated in events glorifying the perpetrators of the Holocaust, including Lithuanian anti-Soviet partisan and Nazi collaborator Jonas Noreika.

[26] In an interview with Andrius Tapinas on 2 April 2024, he positively commented on Trump's activities during his first presidency but mentioned that he would vote for Joe Biden in the 2024 United States presidential election.