Anthony J. Constantini
Skeptics of America's activities in NATO, whether they want to refocus on Asia or simply want resources and troops to return home, are increasingly optimistic that a future president, be it Donald Trump or someone else, will grant their wishes. With Trump's campaign statements casting doubts on America's Cold War-era commitments, and the American public steadily becoming more skeptical of the military organization, they have good reason to be.
But should Trump, or another NATO-skeptical president, take control of the White House, talk will not be enough. The new administration should act as if they are on a four-year timer. To properly right-size America's presence in Europe, three steps should be undertaken.
The first should be dedication to the cause. Former President Donald Trump's administration was the first to seriously attempt to shift America away from Europe. But his initiative was stymied by timing; until certain individuals left the administration, no effort could truly have been undertaken in earnest. And even once the administration was staffed with those dedicated to the work, starting with only one or two years left in the term simply was not going to be successful. To undo decades of misguided policy, the next administration must start the process immediately with executive orders. One such example could resume Trump's 2020-era plan of moving one-third of American troops out of Germany.
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