The European Wake Up Call
After nearly 20 years of service in the United States Marine Corps, I’ve learned one enduring truth: peace is achieved through strength. America’s strength, courage, and leadership have guided the world for decades. In Europe, American strength was responsible for the destruction of tyranny during two world wars, paving the way for the peace and prosperity that followed.
President Donald Trump’s recent address at Davos has reaffirmed American strength and established a framework for a future deal to further strengthen the transatlantic alliance.
It turns out that despite America’s and Europe’s many differing opinions and approaches, our common goals remain remarkably similar. We all seek peace, stability, and prosperity for our families, communities, and nations. The question is whether we have the wisdom and courage to pursue these goals together.
Trump’s leadership was a stark reminder to Europe of the challenges facing our alliance. Our shared adversaries seek to destroy our way of life and dominate the global stage. America’s allies would be wise to answer his call and face this threat head-on by getting serious about the Arctic (including Greenland), increasing defense spending, slashing through bureaucratic red tape, and building on shared interests rather than expressing hollow platitudes.
The Global Perspective
My travels, both in uniform and as a private citizen, have shown me two sides of international cooperation. In the European Union, I’ve seen what thriving partnerships can achieve when nations work together despite their differences. In struggling societies like Cuba, I’ve felt the weight of isolation and economic stagnation.
In neighboring Venezuela, a country that has felt the boot of communism on its neck for decades, Trump’s leadership has given its citizens a shot at freedom and an economic revival. These countries both fell victim to the lies, deceit, and violent corruption of America’s adversaries. These experiences also teach us that our neighbors’ success or failure directly impacts our own security and prosperity.
As China seeks to dominate the global stage and displace American leadership, all countries face a choice. Will they allow enemies of freedom to dictate their way of life through weakness, like Cuba and Venezuela, or will they stand on the side of freedom and demand peace through strength from their leaders?
The global decisions ahead are too important to leave to the same voices that have let our alliances grow weak for decades. America needs leadership from those who have stood on the ground, worked alongside foreign partners, and understand that sometimes the most complex problems have straightforward solutions.
The Path Forward
My service in the Marine Corps took me to the deserts of the Middle East, NATO exercises throughout Europe, and partnership building across Asia. What struck me most working with other nations was not our differences, but how aligned our fundamental values are. Countries that have often taken a back seat to the voices of Western European nations, like Poland, Hungary, Croatia, or Bulgaria are prime examples of emerging leaders in Europe that value American partnerships, offering critical energy corridors to Europe, access to critical minerals, and economic engagements, all while spending heavily on NATO defense requirements.
The global decisions ahead are too important to leave to the same voices that have let our alliances grow weak for decades. A greater American focus on Eastern Europe and its partners who seek the path of freedom and economic prosperity could return the investment tenfold and mark the beginning of a strategic partnership that could reshape the Balkans. Trump’s vision offers a path to these countries that communism never could, one centered on mutual respect, shared interests, and the understanding that strong nations make strong allies.
The veterans of America’s longest wars understand the responsibility bestowed on America as the greatest country in the world. They understand that strong American leadership demands respect from both its adversaries and its partners. And they understand that the world is rapidly changing, China is expanding its influence on every continent. American strength, revived under Trump’s leadership, has created opportunities across the globe for peace and partnership. It’s up to all of us to seize them.
Aaron J. Masaitis is a 20-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps with multiple deployments supporting U.S. forces and leading diplomatic engagements across the world. He is the CEO of an investment and real estate company in Tampa and a graduate of the University of South Florida. He is also an ordained deacon, father of five children, and was a volunteer of the 2016 Donald J. Trump for President Presidential campaign.
The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and do not reflect the official position of the Daily Caller News Foundation.
(Featured Image Media Credit:Â Trump meets with EU leaders. European Union, 2025, CC, Wikimedia Commons)
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