Mark Hertling: Trump (Still) Hates Europe

What It Covers

Retired General Mark Hertling analyzes Trump's national security strategy, criticizing its condescending treatment of European allies, lack of focus on alliances, and controversial Venezuela military operations that bypassed normal command structures.

Key Questions Answered

• •National Security Strategy Impact: Trump's strategy document serves as the capstone for all subordinate military planning, forcing combatant commanders worldwide to rewrite theater strategies, contingency plans, and training priorities based on its directives and priorities.
• •European Alliance Fracture: Trump's strategy contains only one sentence about building alliances while extensively criticizing European nations as decaying and politically correct, reversing Biden-era efforts to rebuild NATO relationships and insulting longtime military partners across 49 European countries.
• •Venezuela Command Breakdown: The Southern Command commander Admiral Halsey was asked to retire after less than one year in his four-star position following disagreements with Secretary Hegseth over Venezuela boat strikes, suggesting civilian leadership bypassed normal military chain of command.
• •Illegal Order Gray Areas: Military personnel face unclear guidance on refusing orders when operations lack congressional war declarations, as demonstrated by Venezuela strikes where interdiction and intelligence gathering would have been legal alternatives to lethal force against survivors.