The Beginning of the End of the American Defense Industrial Complex

The trickle has begun

In 2022, Donald Trump told New York Times journalists Peter Baker and Susan Glasser that he was obsessed with Greenland—not for its glaciers or indigenous history, but because he saw it as the ultimate real estate deal. A land grab so massive it would secure his legacy.

But behind the bluster was a genuine U.S. national security anxiety—the yawning gap between Greenland, Iceland, and the UK. The fear? That if Greenland fell into the wrong hands, it could become a military dagger pointed at the West.

Yet, as the de facto leader of NATO, the U.S. had far sharper options than simply buying an island. Why not turn it into an impenetrable stronghold? A network of NATO naval bases capable of striking with relentless force? Instead of fantasizing about ownership, why not make sure no adversary could ever lay a hand on it?

But nope. Those are things only ment for people with common sense. Trump loves the show. A spectacle. And what better way to do that other than bullying an ally.

Eager to deliver the biggest real estate deal of his presidency and add another trophy to his MAGA propaganda desk, Donald Trump declared in December that he wanted to acquire Greenland. The idea was met with immediate alarm in Denmark, which responded just weeks later by announcing a $2 billion investment to bolster its Arctic military presence. The plan included three new Arctic naval vessels, long-range drones, and upgraded satellite capabilities—a clear signal that Copenhagen was taking regional security into its own hands.

But Trump's repeated jabs at Denmark and Greenland struck a nerve. By February, Denmark went even further, announcing a historic surge in defense spending—$7 billion in 2025 and 2026—the highest level in decades.

Much of that money, ironically, was expected to flow toward American weapons manufacturers. A paradox, of course—arming yourself against a potential threat posed by Trump while simultaneously relying on U.S. defense contractors to do it. But Trump wouldn’t be in office forever, and Denmark had more pressing concerns. A growing Russian threat on NATO’s eastern flank meant it needed critical defense systems that only the U.S. industrial base could reliably deliver. Deterrence, not war, was the objective—so why not buy the best?

That logic led Denmark to seriously consider the American-made Patriot long-range air-defense system. On paper, it was the obvious choice. The French SAMP-T system, while advanced, still lagged behind the Patriots in countering Russia’s hypersonic missile threat. Denmark needed a multi-layered air-defense network, and for weeks, it appeared the U.S. would be its primary supplier.

But then the Trump administration took off its mask.

Last week, during a high-stakes meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump’s team made it clear: this White House wouldn’t just pressure allies for better deals—it was willing to outright abandon them in pursuit of a grand bargain with Russia. There were no illusions anymore. Denmark, like other European nations, saw the writing on the wall: the U.S. under Trump would not hesitate to throw allies under the bus if it served his interests.

You could protest, argue, and appeal to morals, but it wouldn’t matter.

And that, it seems, was the last straw.

Denmark is now poised to break from the U.S. and opt for a fully European air-defense solution. The most likely scenario? French-made SAMP-T systems layered with Norwegian short-range air defenses. The deal hasn’t been signed yet, and no official announcement has been made, but all indicators suggest that Denmark is walking away from the U.S. defense market—and I am extremely confident that France and Norway will secure the contracts.

Trump’s bullying may have secured him a legacy in Russia. But in Denmark, it cost America a critical defense partnership.

Link

Denmark doesn’t really have a choice here. And frankly, I’d be more than happy if every cent of that $7 billion defense budget stayed in Europe—not a penny crossing the Atlantic.

Two major signals emerged from Europe this past week: Sweden’s decision to place an order and help restart production of German-made Taurus cruise missiles, and Denmark’s pivot toward French and Norwegian air-defense systems. These are not isolated moves—they are part of a larger shift.

The Nordic nations decided long ago to synchronize their defense strategies, and the U.S. will pay the price for bullying Denmark. It has already lost orders from the Baltic states. Now, it has lost the Nordics. And if you’ve been paying attention, it’s clear: Germany is slipping away too.

Right now, it feels like a trickle. But before the year is over, it will be a flood.

Goodbye, American defense contractors. You have no one to blame but the people you helped put in power.