“Model allies who are mobilizing—such as Israel, South Korea, Poland, increasingly Germany, the Baltic states, and others—will receive our special support. Allies who do not do this, allies who still fail to meet their obligations in collective defense, will face consequences,” said U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth during his address at the Ronald Reagan Defense Forum.
On Friday, the White House unveiled its new National Security Strategy, which shifts the United States’ global security policy. According to analysts at Poland’s National Security Bureau, “the document has far-reaching consequences for Europe and Poland: it shifts much of the responsibility for security onto regional states, enhances the strategic importance of our part of Europe, opens new opportunities for Poland, but also requires greater defense self-reliance.”
“An End to Utopian Idealism”
On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth addressed the new strategy during a speech at the Ronald Reagan Defense Forum.
Hegseth emphasized that President Donald Trump “wants at all costs to maintain and develop the most powerful army the world has ever seen.” He added that the current administration “is committed to putting America first and avoiding what appear to be never-ending foreign entanglements,” with the paramount goal being the safety of the nation and the freedom and prosperity of its citizens.
“An end to utopian idealism—now is the time for pragmatic realism,” he declared.
“U.S.–China Relations Strongest in Years”
Hegseth outlined “four key strategic directions” that have top priority:
- the defense of U.S. territory and the Western Hemisphere,
- burden-sharing between the U.S. and its allies,
- strengthening the U.S. defense industrial base, and
- deterring China through strength rather than appeasement.
Regarding U.S. homeland defense, he highlighted securing the southern border, deporting criminals, and intensifying efforts against narcotics trafficking and production. He openly described drug cartels as “narcoterrorists” who constitute “the al-Qaeda of the Western Hemisphere.”
“We hunt them with the same precision with which we hunted al-Qaeda,” he added.
He emphasized that U.S.–China relations are currently the strongest they have been in years, and that Trump’s approach seeks a “balance of power that allows everyone to enjoy peace in the Indo-Pacific region.”
Burden-Sharing and NATO Spending
On the issue of shared obligations, Hegseth stressed the need for joint defense efforts in which U.S. allies must actively participate. He noted that NATO states have committed to allocating 5% of GDP to defense and expressed hope that other U.S. allies will follow suit.
“In a few years, thanks to President Trump’s visionary leadership, our allies—some of the wealthiest and most productive countries in the world—will once again possess combat-ready armies and more state-owned defense-industrial capabilities,” he said.
He added, “Our allies are not children. They are nations that are capable of doing far more for themselves than they have so far. And it’s time they did.”
Poland Among the “Model Allies”
“Model allies who are mobilizing—such as Israel, South Korea, Poland, increasingly Germany, the Baltic states, and others—will receive our special support. Allies who do not do this, allies who still fail to meet their obligations in collective defense, will face consequences,” Hegseth reiterated.