Hendrix's Eccentric Commentary

2//24/2025

Donald Trump and MAGAworld have been screaming their heads off that Europe and NATO are dependent on the Unites States for their defense, and have not been spending enough of their GDP on their defense establishments and have instead funded welfare states that the US, because of the wealth that we direct towards our defense budget cannot afford, and in general have been freeloading off the United States Department of Defense for their defense, instead of paying their fair share..

Much of this is true, especially since the end of the Cold War, with a few honorable exceptions, most of Europe and most NATO members have been dramatically underfunding their defense establishments, with Germany, with the biggest GDP, perhaps the biggest offender.  That neglect is now coming home to roost with a vengance.

But there is another side to this story — the fact is that elements of the Unites States’ foreign policy and defense establishment have, for quite some time, enjoyed and even encouraged this dependence.  Bluntly put, this has allowed the US to dominate NATO and thereby most of Western Europe with the simple argument that since we pay for most of the defense we get to call the shots.  To reach for one obvious sign of this, even though NATO is located primarily in Europe SACEUR (Supreme Allied Commander Europe) has always been an American flag or general officer. 

IN a slightly different sphere this is also reflected in the hostility that many conservatives in the United Staes have often directed at the EU (European Union).  Some elements of the US policy establishment have preferred a Europe that is divided and dependent on the United Staes to one that is united and could begin acting independently with some authority.  The corollary to this is a NATO that was not too European in nature and was dependent on, and dominated, by the US was seen by many in the United States as desirable.

It should also be noted that the US Department of Defense has generally been able to set the standards for NATO weaponry which are, of course, available from US manufacturers.  This is particularly noticeable in the area of big ticket items such as attack helicopters and warplanes — the F-35, for example, has practically become the NATO standard 5th generation fighter and attack aircraft.

In effect, the United Staes wants NATO and Europe to spend more on defense and to spend a big chunk of that here in the US.  Europe has, to a considerable degree, allowed its defense industrial base to atrophy, so in the short term, more European defense spending will probably translate into profits for US defense firms.

As a result, and again in the short term, NATO and Europe are in the midst of a major political, international relations, and defense crisis.  Assuming, however, they can come through it and given time, the end results may not be to Donald Trump and  MAGAworld’s liking. 

Collectively Europe has a population larger than the Unites States and a strong scientific, technological, and industrial base.  With Vladimir Putin and Russia providing motivation, Europe can potential become a significant military power. 

A Europe with a stronger defense establishment and a stronger defense industrial base might well be one the requires less from the United States in terms of defense assistance, which they are unlikely to get it from Donald Trump and his MAGA successors in any case.  They will also, however, be less likely to listen to Washington, more likely to act independently in world affairs, and spend less money buying military goods and services from the US.

 It is certainly true that the United Staes needs to move military power from Europe to the Indo-Pacific and it is also true that Europe needs to take more responsibility for its own defense and, bluntly put, spend more money on it.  Nonetheless it is hard to see how this sort of hostile divorce from Europe — one that encourages Europe to take a separate path in terms of foreign policy and defense policy is to the advantage of the United States.   

Donald Trump and MAGAworld regard NATO and Europe as a burden and want to get rid of all connections with and all obligations to what the want  to make into former partners. They might want to heed some ancient advice.“Don’t pray for what you want, you might get it.”