From the linked article:
May 8, 2025, marks the 80th anniversary of the Allies’ triumph over Nazi Germany and the end of World War II in Europe.
American boots on the ground proved decisive in the Western Theater, from North Africa to Italy to Normandy to Germany itself. And American industry and money proved to be an overwhelming advantage, pumping out a nearly inexhaustible supply of matériel for the Allied cause.
Once the war ended, the U.S. decided to maintain a military presence on the Continent and extend its protective hegemony over Western Europe for two reasons. First, to create a bulwark against the specter of global communism embodied by the new Soviet bloc. Second, to keep a watchful eye on the troublesome European powers that had started two world wars. Through the Marshall Plan and other programs, the U.S. pumped in billions of dollars to help rebuild the shattered ruins of Europe while providing the vast military presence necessary to ward off any potential Soviet aggression.
And we’re still there today. But if you look at the state of the Continent now, it’s hard to justify our continued presence and support. We stormed the beaches of Normandy to rid Europe of tyranny, but in the decades since, the continent has succumbed to a wave of left-wing authoritarianism.
…
As things now stand, the United States is shackled to the corpse of a once-great continent spiraling into an authoritarian nightmare.
[An annoying mixed metaphor. Can a corpse “spiral”? Never mind. Europe has indeed succumbed to authoritarianism - JB]
But, as we learned after both world wars, we can’t save them from themselves, no matter how much money or military might we throw at them. They have to do the work to save their own homelands. We should support those who strive to make Europe safe and prosperous again, but our time as Europe’s piggy bank and protector must end.
Yes, it must. Read the whole thing here:
https://thefederalist.com/2025/05/08/80years-after-wwii-us-taxpayers-fund-europes-authoritarianism/