Pete Hegseth's push for increased Nato defence spending and his blunt warning against US overreliance have sparked concerns about the consequences of Trump's 'America First' agenda. The article argues that Trump's unilateral approach to peace in Ukraine, coupled with his dismantling of government agencies and suspension of ethics rules, will ultimately weaken the US's global standing and lead to economic instability.
The new US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, got straight to the point in Brussels on his first trip abroad. He told Nato allies to boost their defence spending to five per cent of GDP and stop relying on America. “President Trump will not allow anyone to turn Uncle Sam into Uncle Sucker,” he warned. It was a bracing comment by the former Fox News host.
It’s not that Trump’s one-sided peace plan for Ukraine came as a big surprise. But Hegseth’s remarks gave Nato allies time to band together, present the terms as disgraceful appeasement and rally domestic public opinion against Trump’s “surrender” before the Munich security conference opens today. For all Trump’s “America First” bravado, his policies are not going to make the US safer, more prosperous and more powerful. On the contrary, there is a danger that America First is going to end up as “America Last” as rival powers are emboldened and allies seek to break from their dependence on the US.will empower Putin and enable a resurgent Russia to regain the military, economic and political strength to bully its neighbours, safe from US deterrence.
The argument for free trade, peace and prosperity was made by Adam Smith in The Wealth of Nations in 1776 – the year America declared independence. He noted that “nations have been taught that their interest consisted of beggaring their neighbours”, and claimed trade ought to be a “bond of union and friendship” rather than a “fertile source of discord and animosity”. But Trump has never been much of a reader and may have to relearn this lesson the hard way.
TRUMP NATO DEFENSE SPENDING CORRUPTION AMERICA FIRST
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