Gingrich urges Europe to boost defense amid Iran tensions.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is calling on Europe to step up its defense efforts amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, arguing that the U.S. has long carried a disproportionate share of the security burden.
In a recent appearance on FOX Business’ “Varney & Co.,” Gingrich asserted that Europe has relied heavily on American protection since World War II and needs to assume greater responsibility, particularly with rising conflict involving Iran.
“The fact that we protected Europe from having liberated it after World War II. We protected it all through the Cold War. We are still the primary protectors of Europe. They need to learn to do their fair share,” Gingrich said.
Gingrich highlighted the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route, as an area where the U.S. is disproportionately responsible for maintaining stability. He suggested that the U.S. could quickly neutralize Iranian efforts to disrupt the Strait, but framed the issue as part of a broader philosophical divide.
He contrasted the U.S.’s focus on innovation with Europe’s emphasis on regulation, arguing that innovation is the key to future progress, while regulation is an ineffective attempt to avoid it. “We think you’re going to get to the future by innovation. They think you can hide from the future by regulation. It doesn’t work,” Gingrich said.
While acknowledging that increased European assistance would be welcome, Gingrich implied that Europe’s military limitations would likely keep its role secondary. He stated, “It would be nice if they would help a little bit. It would make people feel better, if they would help a little bit,” he said.
Gingrich emphasized that the outcome of ongoing conflicts ultimately depends on the strength of the U.S. and its allies, rather than symbolic contributions. He concluded by saying, “In the end, it’s the American-Israeli coalition, which is gonna win this fight… Having one ship from France or one ship from Britain is not a very big contribution… The truth is, if you look at the British Navy right now, it is so underfunded, they can’t do very much. They just don’t have the capacity.”
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