Washington (United States) (AFP) – US lawmakers are set to vote Wednesday on a sweeping annual defense bill bolstering European security, in a direct rebuke of President Donald Trump’s threats to walk away from the continent and his statements casting doubt on NATO’s future. The House vote comes on the heels of the publication of a national security strategy that amounted to an all-out attack on Europe — rattling allied capitals and widening the biggest transatlantic rift in years.
By contrast, the huge bill being considered in Congress, which would authorize nearly a trillion dollars in defense spending, has drawn attention for its pro-Europe orientation and strict limits designed to prevent Trump from reducing troop numbers, moving equipment, or downgrading NATO-linked missions. “This legislation includes important House-passed provisions to ensure our military forces remain the most lethal in the world and can deter any adversary,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said in a statement.
In his security strategy published last week, Trump lambasted Europe as an over-regulated, censorious continent lacking in “self-confidence” and facing “civilizational erasure” due to immigration. His administration accuses European nations of taking advantage of American generosity and of failing to take responsibility for their own destiny. The security strategy openly supports far-right European parties, questioning the continent’s commitment to peace and indicating that its security was no longer a top US priority.
But lawmakers are explicitly moving in the opposite direction — deepening US resources for the Baltic states and hardening NATO’s northeastern flank, in a move that amounts to one of the strongest congressional assertions in years of Europe’s strategic importance. The 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) carries a robust $8 billion more than Trump requested in May, authorizing roughly $901 billion in defense spending. It leans hard into European defense, barring troop levels on the continent from falling below 76,000 for more than 45 days and blocking the removal of major equipment.
The White House has backed the 3,086-page bill, despite its misgivings over Europe — and a provision forcing the Pentagon to hand over videos of maritime strikes against suspected drug-smuggling vessels in Latin American waters. The footage has become a flashpoint in a transparency dispute between congressional defense and security committees and the military. To ensure compliance, lawmakers will withhold a quarter of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s travel budget until the videos arrive — an unusually personal tactic reflecting frustration over slow document production and the administration’s expanding use of lethal force in drug interdictions.
The NDAA also adds traditional security priorities. It places fresh limits on any reduction of the 28,500 US troops in South Korea, a signal to Seoul amid uncertainty over America’s long-term military commitment in East Asia. With support from the administration wavering, the bill also doubles down on Ukraine — setting aside $400 million in security assistance to sustain a baseline of support even if emergency funding stalls. A group of conservative hardliners has explored blocking the NDAA over its inclusion of Ukraine assistance and the absence of a ban on a central bank digital currency.
But such grumbling is routine for a final NDAA, and there were few signs of a rebellion capable of sinking the policy package. With bipartisan backing on Europe, Korea, Ukraine, and the war authorization repeals, House passage is expected — though the bill would then head to the Senate for further scrutiny.
© 2024 AFP
