Defense Without Washington: Europe Must Prepare Now, Says Former Top U.S. General

Hodges Calls on Europe to Rethink Its Safety Net

According to ХВИЛЯ: Ben Hodges, the former commander of U.S. Army forces in Europe, delivered a blunt message: European leaders should get ready to defend their own continent in a scenario where America is no longer a major participant. In an interview with Jonathan Fink on the YouTube channel Silicon Curtain, he argued that the United States is now operating on a transactional logic rather than on formal alliance commitments. Even so, Hodges pointed out, Washington still has tangible reasons to care about European stability, including:

• the region being its biggest trading partner,
• the region representing its largest market,
• a two-way flow of intelligence,
• a chain of bases running from Ramstein to Morón in Spain.

Hodges noted that Europe’s military budgets rose by a record 14 percent in 2025, reaching $864 billion. Germany, for the first time since 1990, crossed the 2 percent of GDP threshold for defense spending. In addition, the European Union’s rearmament plan, valued at nearly $1 trillion, is channeling contracts to European manufacturers instead of U.S. companies.

Political Will, Not Money, Is the Missing Piece

According to Hodges, Europe is not short of financial resources or technological capability. What it lacks is urgency and political resolve. A visible deficit of resolve-especially when dealing with the Kremlin-can be mistaken for an open invitation to push further, he argued.

'European leaders need to do everything possible to be ready to defend themselves without serious American participation. I can’t believe I am even saying this.' - Ben Hodges

This assessment lands as debate intensifies over Europe’s defense autonomy and NATO’s burden-sharing. The growing defense budgets show that many European governments understand the need to strengthen their own military muscle, but without sustained political will those efforts may stall. In a world of expanding threats, the task is not only to spend more on armies but also to forge a coherent, shared security strategy.

As discussions heat up regarding Europe's defense strategy, it's essential to consider the broader implications of military tensions in the region. In a related analysis, Ben Hodges argues that Russia is actively engaging in hostilities against Europe, highlighting the urgency for European nations to solidify their own defense capabilities amidst shifting global alliances.