US defense strategy
The message to Europe is clear
01/24/2026 – 7:08 a.mReading time: 4 minutes
“America First”: This is the motto of US President Donald Trump, which is also reflected in the defense strategy of the United States. This has consequences for Europe.
The USA wants to continue to be a permanent NATO ally and thus an ally of the Europeans, but sees the defense of its country and the surrounding regions as the priority. This emerges from the new national defense strategy of the administration of US President Donald Trump. It also emphasizes deterrence against China. An overview of important points:
The message to Europe is clear. The tenor: Your conventional defense is primarily your responsibility. The USA wants to continue to play a central role within NATO – even if it readjusts its presence in Europe. Allies should take the lead in Europe against threats that are more serious for them than for the US – “with decisive but limited support from the United States,” it says. In the past there have been repeated discussions about reducing troop numbers in Europe.
At the end of last year, the US Congress passed a law for a defense budget that, unlike the national security and defense strategy, is more in line with the traditional approach to previous defense priorities. With regard to the US troop presence in Europe, the law stipulates that the total number of forces permanently under the European Command area of responsibility cannot be less than 76,000 for more than 45 days. According to estimates, more than 80,000 US soldiers were currently stationed in Europe.
What is central for the USA – as is emphasized in the 34-page defense strategy – is that its allies implement the NATO agreement to massively increase defense spending. Under the impression of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and at Trump’s insistence, NATO agreed last June to invest at least 3.5 percent of the national GDP in defense in the future. An additional 1.5 percent should then be added for defense-related expenses, such as infrastructure.
In keeping with Trump’s motto “America First”, the USA’s defense focus should be on its own country. Borders should be secured and airspace protected by the “Golden Dome” missile defense system that Trump wants to build on Greenland. This plan already suggests that the USA is far from limiting its focus to its own national borders: “At the same time, we will actively and fearlessly defend America’s interests throughout the Western Hemisphere,” it says.
