Trump’s foreign policy echoes Nixon’s doctrine of delegating regional security to allies (like Israel in the Middle East) to reduce U.S. burdens. While this approach shows promise in the Middle East and Europe, it faces hurdles: loss of control over proxies, continued U.S. involvement needs, and outright failure in Asia—where China’s military dominance makes allied self-reliance impossible.
As Europe supports Ukraine, three other post-Soviet states remain dangerously exposed to Russian coercion and aggression. Russian efforts to destabilize these states are already underway, raising a significant challenge for European decisionmakers.
Trump’s proposed changes to U.S. development finance—prioritizing domestic interests, unilateralism, and extractive projects over sustainability—could weaken America’s global influence. Unlike Biden’s multilateral partnerships, Trump’s transactional approach risks alienating allies and ceding clean energy leadership to China. The U.S. may lose ground in the Global South by abandoning inclusive, high-quality investments that counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
The analysis examines post-WWII order shifts and Trump’s NATO impact: U.S. pressure for higher European defense spending could strengthen cooperation or weaken transatlantic ties. The alliance’s future hinges on Europe’s response and mutual strategic choices.
The article analyzes shifts in GOP foreign policy and Trump’s impact on NATO. Trump’s transactional approach pushes Europe to boost defense spending, but risks weakening transatlantic unity. Success depends on turning pressure into stronger cooperation, not European strategic divergence from the U.S.
The UCP is overdue for a major update, as it no longer lends itself to a grand strategy aimed at deterring Chinese aggression.
With the potential return of a global war, it is time to reconsider the Joint Staff’s historical role of coordinating global operations during a conflict.
The president and the secretary of defense have the power to issue new UCPs at their will. They should exercise that power now.
