President Donald Trump called it early: NATO has been riding on the United States’ coattails for decades.
Now, after years of dodging their own military responsibilities, the European members of the alliance are finally feeling the pressure to step up.
Trump’s America-First diplomacy is reshaping NATO into something more accountable—and far less comfortable for those who have long treated Washington as a security subsidy.
Former national security advisor Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg is sounding the alarm that NATO’s structure has grown obsolete.
Once a lean defense pact of twelve committed nations, the now 32-member alliance has ballooned into what he calls a “bloated architecture.”
Kellogg explained to Fox News Digital that most European countries haven’t invested enough in their militaries to match their rhetoric or commitments.
“They haven’t put the money into defense,” he said bluntly. “Their defense forces have atrophied.” In the current state, many European militaries lack working brigades, operational aircraft carriers, and even basic readiness.
Kellogg argues this mismatch between political expansion and military power is weakening the alliance’s deterrent posture against a resurgent Russia.
Trump’s demand that NATO allies pay their fair share was more than a slogan—it was a strategic correction.
By withdrawing 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany and signaling possible cuts in Italy and Spain, he made clear that America would no longer serve as Europe’s security babysitter.
The message landed: either Europe rebuilds its own capabilities, or it accepts irrelevance in the face of global threats.
According to Kellogg, the time has come for structural change—a “tiered relationship” he once discussed with Trump—to create what he called “a new NATO, a new defensive alignment with Europe.”
That vision challenges the old assumption that expanding the alliance automatically made it stronger. In practice, expansion has diluted effectiveness, spreading commitments thinner while still expecting America to carry the heavy load.
By contrast, some analysts insist NATO is doing just fine. John R. Deni, a research professor at the U.S. Army War College, told Fox News Digital that NATO remains vital to American influence.
He contends it gives the U.S. a comparative advantage over China and Russia and stabilizes transatlantic economic ties. However, even he agreed that the alliance’s dependence on U.S. nuclear and intelligence assets has grown unsustainable.
As Kellogg and other security experts describe it, NATO may be “formally collective” but it is “functionally asymmetric.”
America provides not just the nuclear umbrella but also the bulk of the alliance’s intelligence, logistics, and technological backbone.
Barak Seener from the Henry Jackson Society emphasized that without U.S. surveillance and reconnaissance, Europe would lose basic situational awareness if Russia moved militarily toward the continent.
That’s exactly why Trump’s pressure campaign is not just justified—it’s necessary. Europe must awaken from decades of comfort and complacency.
Many of its militaries are still operating at “B or C” levels in capability, relying heavily on American-made systems like Patriot and THAAD for air defense. Even Britain, once a cornerstone of NATO strength, struggles to field ready units.
Some progress is underway. Russia’s aggression since Crimea in 2014 finally jolted European budgets upward, and several nations have purchased advanced American equipment like the F-35 fighter jet. But, as Deni admitted, real capability takes time to build.
“You can’t build an F-35 overnight,” he said. The reality is that Europe’s promised “modernization” still exists mostly on paper.
Inside NATO headquarters, officials now admit the alliance must “move further and faster” to meet rising global threats. Plans reportedly call for a fivefold increase in air and missile defenses, more armored vehicles, larger ground forces, and expanded logistics networks.
It’s a welcome change, but these upgrades will only matter if member nations consistently follow through—and stop assuming Washington will plug every hole.
At the same time, European allies are attempting to prove their leadership by taking more visible roles across Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and the Arctic.
Yet even those missions rely heavily on U.S. command structures and reconnaissance data. The imbalance remains clear: Europe cannot hold the line without America’s warfighters, intelligence, and logistical muscle.
Kellogg warns that true deterrence still hinges on U.S. presence. If American forces become tied down in Asia or the Middle East, NATO’s readiness would falter almost instantly.
“We won’t know until it happens,” he cautioned, underscoring how fragile Europe’s security remains without constant U.S. engagement.
Nevertheless, Trump’s insistence on accountability is paying dividends. The old model—where Europe freeloaded while the U.S. paid in blood and treasure—is breaking down.
The result could be a leaner, more efficient alliance grounded in shared responsibility rather than dependence. NATO can either adapt to this new era of hard-nosed American leadership or face the reality of standing alone.
That choice, thanks to Trump’s unrelenting push, is finally becoming impossible to ignore.
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