Americans are bankrolling Europe’s defense while our wealthiest allies refuse to carry their weight—it’s time to stop footing the bill.
At a Glance
- The U.S. spends billions defending wealthy European allies
- Most European nations fall short of NATO’s 2% defense spending target
- EU’s new “ReArm Europe” plan may exclude American defense companies
- Scaling back U.S. defense in Europe would ease the burden on taxpayers
America’s One-Sided Defense Alliance
For decades, American taxpayers have carried the cost of defending affluent European nations that have long had the means to protect themselves. While the U.S. pours billions into NATO and maintains a large troop presence overseas, many European allies consistently fail to meet the 2% of GDP defense spending commitment they agreed to.
Watch The American Conservative’s report on U.S. defense spending.
The United States—geographically secure, militarily unmatched—continues to underwrite European security. In 2024, the U.S. defense budget reached $968 billion, more than double the combined defense spending of NATO’s European members, according to Foreign Policy. European nations have both the population and economic strength to step up—but rarely do.
Europe’s Awakening and U.S. Opportunity
Now, the European Union is signaling it may finally start to take defense seriously. The new “ReArm Europe” initiative, a €150 billion proposal to boost regional military capability, reflects that. But in a twist of irony, it may also lock out U.S. defense companies. These same countries that leaned on American firepower for decades are now trying to keep U.S. firms out of their growing defense market, according to Newsweek.
This shift is more than symbolic—it’s a window for Washington to realign its priorities. As Europe builds independence, the U.S. can finally reduce its global policing role and redirect attention to its own mounting domestic challenges.
Reclaiming American Priorities
The truth? Most of America’s $968 billion defense budget doesn’t protect Americans—it protects everyone else. We’re not spending that much because of imminent threats at home. We’re doing it to project force around the globe, often while our own infrastructure decays and borders remain vulnerable.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth put it plainly: “Stark strategic realities prevent the United States of America from being primarily focused on the security of Europe,” as reported by Reuters.
It’s time for that focus to change. By scaling back our role in Europe and encouraging allies to invest in their own defense, the U.S. can reclaim its resources and renew its domestic strength. America’s greatest contribution to NATO going forward may be teaching Europe to stand on its own.
