Trump administration’s defense strategy tells allies to handle their own security
The Pentagon has released a National Defense Strategy that chastises U.S. allies to take control of their own security and reasserts the Trump administration’s focus on dominance in the Western Hemisphere over a longtime goal of countering China. The document released late Friday is highly political for a military blueprint, criticizing partners from Europe to Asia for relying on previous U.S. administrations to subsidize their defense. It calls for “a sharp shift — in approach, focus, and tone.” That translates to a blunt assessment that allies must take on more of the burden countering nations from Russia to North Korea. It caps off a week of animosity between President Donald Trump’s administration and traditional allies like Europe.