A New World Order

Something big is happening in Europe—something that most Americans have yet to hear about.

The European Union recently released a 66-page white paper laying out a five-year plan to rebuild its military strength and dramatically reduce its reliance on the United States. It’s not just a policy shift—it’s a wake-up call. Europe sees the direction of American politics, and they’re taking it seriously.

For nearly 80 years, Europe has counted on the U.S. to act as a security blanket. We’ve sent troops, supplied weapons, and kept NATO strong. But that relationship is changing. The war in Ukraine exposed just how dependent Europe has become—and just how reluctant America has grown. With isolationist voices rising in U.S. politics and aid to Ukraine becoming a political football, Europe is now preparing for a world where it might be on its own.

The new white paper outlines an aggressive plan to ramp up defense spending, strengthen weapons production, improve military mobility, and coordinate strategy across the EU. In short, they’re weening themselves off U.S. military support—and fast.

And that shift won’t just affect Europe. It’s going to hit the U.S. at home.

The U.S. has long relied on its defense exports for global influence and economic benefit. If Europe starts buying less American-made equipment and starts building its own, that could mean fewer contracts, fewer jobs, and less income for industries that have relied on foreign military sales.

We could also see the dollar lose some of its dominance. As Europe grows more self-reliant and the balance of power shifts globally, the world may not feel the same need to use the U.S. dollar as its standard currency. That kind of shift could rattle our markets, raise costs, and ripple through our economy in ways we can't fully anticipate. One thing is for sure: It's going to change things, and it won't wait around for us to catch up.

Then there’s technology. The white paper calls out a very real concern: if China asserts more control over Taiwan, the global supply of advanced semiconductors could be cut off overnight. That would cripple entire sectors of the U.S. economy—from cars to smartphones to defense systems. Europe is preparing for that scenario. Here in the U.S., we’ve only just started talking about it. And Elon Musk and his army of teenage pimple-faced hackers are already cutting budgets that would fuel our future growth. We could be shooting ourselves in the foot without knowing it.

To make matters worse, we’ve allowed our education system to slip. While Europe is investing in science, technology, and engineering to build the workforce it needs, we’ve been cutting education budgets and watching skilled workers age out of the system. If we don’t get serious about investing in our people, we risk falling behind and losing talent to countries willing to take the lead.

None of this means we’re doomed. But it does mean we’re entering a new era—one where we can no longer assume we’ll always be the center of the world. Europe is adapting. They’ve put it in writing. They’re building a future where they don’t need us as they used to.

Change is already underway. Some Americans will prosper in this new global order. Others may struggle. But what’s clear is this: we need to stop acting like the old rules still apply. Because they don't. The good old days are rapidly disappearing.

The bottom line is that the world is moving on. And if we don’t pay attention, we’ll be the ones left behind.