NATO: US military presence in Europe

A U.S. aircraft carrier strike group—a major fleet of warships—is a powerful symbol of U.S. military power and a signal of America’s willingness to defend its allies and deter its enemies.

The presence of such a force in the North Sea over the past few weeks is therefore an attempt to reassure European allies despite domestic political uncertainty.

America’s military might has helped protect Europe for the past 75 years – but the US presidential election raises the question: for how long?

Military commanders try to avoid politics.

But among a group of reporters invited aboard the USS Harry S. Truman, the U.S. presidential campaign was high on the agenda. The question is: Will the United States still support Europe?

“What I can tell you is that we are deeply committed to our alliance, deeply committed to NATO,” Maj. Gen. Sean Bailey said.

But he is not the one who determines U.S. foreign policy, and his answer is unlikely to dispel doubts.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius knows change is coming.

Asked about the possible impact of last week’s US election on Europe, he said the question was whether the US was doing “a lot less, or a little less”.

He didn’t mention names, but Donald Trump is likely to do far less.

The USS Harry S. Truman is proudly named for the president who helped found NATO 75 years ago.

But a second Trump term could once again shake this alliance to its core.

Truman’s doctrine of providing military, economic and political support to threatened democracies was at odds with Trump’s “America First” policy.

He recently said that Russia can “do whatever it wants” to allies that don’t spend enough on defense.

Any U.S. withdrawal from Europe would leave a gaping hole.

The USS Harry S. Truman is a testament to America’s size and numbers – with a crew of 5,000 and more than 60 aircraft.

The Royal Navy’s aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales sailed nearby, a reminder of Europe’s more modest defenses.

The British aircraft carrier, whose wing consists of a few helicopters and eight F-35 jets, is a pale reflection of American military influence.

Overall, the United States has more than 100,000 military personnel deployed in Europe.

Trump threatened to withdraw some of these troops when he was last president. If elected, he could do the same thing again.

Many Republicans believe Europe should take care of itself. This is certainly the view of Elbridge Colby, a senior Pentagon official in the previous Trump administration.

He said the United States should “withdraw its troops from Europe” and focus on dealing with the threat posed by China.

The election will also have an impact on U.S. military aid to Ukraine – the U.S. is by far its largest military backer.

But a senior NATO official, speaking on condition of anonymity, recently told the BBC that “whoever wins, the US contribution to Ukraine is likely to be reduced in relative terms”.

He said Europe could not expect the United States to continue to provide “excessive” contributions.

The reality is that the United States’ military center of gravity has shifted eastward to the Indo-Pacific region and the rise of China.

The Pentagon views China as its biggest security challenge. China now has a more powerful navy than the United States. It builds a fleet the size of the entire Royal Navy every two years.

Sailors and pilots on the carrier also recognized that there was another hub to the east.

Lieutenant Commander Bernie Lutz spent most of his Navy career flying F-18s on U.S. aircraft carriers in the Pacific and Middle East.

He understood why they were sailing in European waters now. “There’s a lot going on,” he said.

But he added, “I think the Pacific Theater is the larger and most important long-term goal.”

Like other members of the aircraft carrier’s 5,000-person crew, he has not been told where he will go next, but it has been widely reported that the USS Harry S. Truman will soon sail to the Middle East.

The region will also remain a challenge for the next president.

Capt. Dave Snowden said he is willing to fly the flag of de-escalation or deterrence no matter where the aircraft carrier is sent, even sailing into dangerous situations.

But the lack of serious foreign policy debate in the election reflects a reluctance to get directly involved in more wars.

The United States will remain the world’s preeminent military power.

The question is how the next president will use it.