‘America First’ Pushes Allies Away—and Nearer to Each Other

United States President Donald Trump’s “America First” policies are a driving force behind increasing cooperation between foreign militaries, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.

America’s closest allies are increasingly turning to each other to advance their interests, deepening their ties as the Trump administration challenges them with tariffs and other measures that are upending trade, diplomacy and defense.
—New York Times

Pay your own way: Since President Trump’s first term in office, he has spoken about the need for nato member countries to devote greater percentages of their gross domestic product to defense—and not to rely on America for protection.

Since his second inauguration in January, Trump has intensified these calls and has levied tariffs on Europe that many view as antagonistic. As a result, European nations are rapidly pulling away from the U.S. and drawing closer to each other while boosting their military spending.

During a visit to Brussels last week, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth emphasized to nato members that they can no longer rely on the U.S. for protection.

Europe on board: A Brugel analysis published in February suggested Europe could need 300,000 more troops and an annual defense spending hike of at least €250 billion to deter Russian aggression in the short term.

Germany has spearheaded European efforts to become more militarily independent. In March, German lawmakers approved a historic amendment to its constitution, eliminating all restrictions on military spending.

Later this month, nato leaders are expected to agree to President Trump’s proposal that all members of the group should increase their spending goal from 2 percent of gdp to 5 percent. This would cause a stunning increase in Europe’s military spending.

Superpower rising: The Bible prophesies that a united European military superpower will soon arise to oppose the U.S.-led world order. That is why the Trumpet closely watches as the U.S. withdraws from the world scene, allowing a German-led Europe to unite and militarize.

To understand these significant changes, read “How Trump Is Transforming the World.”