Rebecca Munson & Tony Cothron
“No one should question the resolve of the United States of America to defend our interests in the Indo-Pacific and beyond” said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in March. But Beijing is certainly questioning U.S. resolve as the West vacillates over how to resolve Ukraine.
Fears are growing that the second Trump presidency will disengage from NATO and Europe. Some Europeans equate the risk of U.S. withdrawal from European security commitments to a Russian nuclear strike. And even amid concerns that Trump is dismantling the U.S.-led world order, an explicitly Europe-first approach is gaining traction, contending that other U.S. national security problems “can only be dealt with effectively once the Atlantic foundation of Washington’s global strength is secure”.
Yet, the reality is that Europe’s economic interests are tied to Asia. Any serious U.S. partnership with Europe necessitates serious U.S. engagement in Asia. Europe must recognize that its own economic stability and long-term security are at stake if Asia becomes wholly dominated by the CCP.
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