Home / Series / Wes O'Donnell / Aired Order / Season 2026 / Episode 79

Europe's Bold Bet on Self-Reliance Is Happening Now

Trump pulled 5,000 troops from Germany without telling NATO command first, then said he's cutting far more. Hegseth just cancelled a 4,000 U.S. troop deployment Poland. The cancellation of Tomahawk cruise missiles scheduled for Germany in 2027 is the part that isn't getting enough coverage. Neither are the weapons delivery delays hitting Poland, Estonia, and Lithuania at the exact moment the threat environment is most acute. Europe is now asking a question it hasn't seriously asked since 1949: what if America doesn't show up? In this video I break down what's actually been done to NATO's deterrence architecture, why the Tomahawks matter more than the troops, and what Europe is quietly building in response.

English
  • Originally Aired May 15, 2026
  • Runtime 15 minutes
  • Created June 9, 2026 by
    annomatik
  • Modified June 9, 2026 by
    annomatik