Here’s a shocker for the D.C. establishment: President Donald Trump is once again putting American taxpayers ahead of Europe’s endless tab. According to reports, the U.S. will begin phasing out some security funding for countries bordering Russia—Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania—while making it clear that Europe needs to pick up more of its own defense costs. Imagine that: allies actually taking responsibility for themselves.
This isn’t coming out of nowhere. On day one of his second term, Trump signed an executive order to “reevaluate and realign” U.S. foreign aid. Translation: no more blank checks for Europe while Americans deal with crumbling infrastructure, spiraling debt, and communities desperate for investment. For decades, NATO countries have short-changed their own defense spending, relying on American dollars to do the heavy lifting. Trump is saying, “enough.”
Of course, the predictable outrage machine kicked in. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat, called the decision “misguided” and claimed it puts American troops at risk. Really? Because what actually puts our troops at risk is a Europe that refuses to step up, forcing Americans to carry the entire burden of defending the continent.
Let’s be clear: Europe isn’t broke. These countries can and should pay more for their own protection, especially with Russia threatening instability. Trump isn’t abandoning allies—he’s demanding they finally act like real partners.
The left will cry that this is “abandoning” Europe. But the reality is Trump’s policy forces accountability. If Europe values its sovereignty and security, it’s time they stop depending on Uncle Sam to foot the bill. Americans are done subsidizing countries that refuse to invest in their own defense while lecturing us about globalism.
Trump’s approach is simple: protect American interests first, stop wasting taxpayer dollars, and remind the world that the United States is a partner—not a piggy bank. And frankly, that’s the kind of leadership this country has needed for decades. America wins when America comes first.
