SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
President Trump's claims on Greenland are the latest and biggest threat to America's alliance with Europe. That alliance is built on NATO, and it's a pillar of the post-World War II global order. But Trump doesn't like what he sees in Europe, whether it's politics or migration.
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PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: There are certain places in Europe that are very important that are no longer recognizable. I'm being very nice. I'm being very diplomatic when I say that they are not recognizable.
DETROW: What do Americans think of the U.S. alliance with Europe? NPR's roving national correspondent Frank Langfitt reports.
FRANK LANGFITT, BYLINE: One of President Trump's biggest complaints about Europe is that it hasn't spent enough money on its own defense. Ernie Kuo, who works in the maritime industry and lives in California, agrees.
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LANGFITT: Kuo was in Baltimore last month for the Army-Navy Game. He's critical of Trump but supports him pressuring Europe to spend more.
ERNIE KUO: It is forcing Europe to take their security a little more seriously and maybe not to be so dependent on one big brother. And ultimately, I think it's going to be a positive.
LANGFITT: About two hours north, in Pennsylvania's Bucks County, Wes Alker is looking for discounts at a Trump merchandise store. Alker is a retired auto mechanic. He agrees with the president on U.S. military support for Ukraine.
WES ALKER: Proportionately, we're giving more than we should.
LANGFITT: And why do you say that?
ALKER: Because they're not on our backs' doorstep. The Europeans ain't doing [expletive].
LANGFITT: Actually, the EU and its member states have mobilized more than $71 billion in military support for Ukraine. Still, an NPR/Ipsos poll in December showed that about one-third of Republicans think the U.S. has spent too much, while most Democrats and more than 40% of independents think the Americans should spend more. Suzanne Watson is a retired nurse in Colorado. She's one of those independents.
SUZANNE WATSON: I think it's too little. I am not a fan of wars or helping wars, but I think Putin has made it very clear that he's not going to stop at Ukraine. And at some point, you've got to stand up. We learned that in World War II.
LANGFITT: Disagreement over support for Ukraine seems quaint compared with Trump's designs on Greenland. Earlier this month, Vice President Vance said Denmark has not done enough to protect the resource-rich territory from Russia and China.
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JD VANCE: They'll always make an argument about the past. They'll say, well, we fought together in World War II, or we fought together in the war on terrorism. And we're grateful for that. We love having these allies. But just because you did something smart 25 years ago doesn't mean you can't do something dumb now.
SHARON VALENTINE: My name is Sharon Valentine. I'm 28. I am a mother of one.
LANGFITT: Valentine is a progressive who lives in Utah. She thinks Trump's threats of intervention are foolish.
VALENTINE: Threatening to invade Greenland or the Panama Canal or to take Canada.
LANGFITT: Where do you think that this foreign policy is leading the United States?
VALENTINE: I think it's leading us to be more isolated.
LANGFITT: Polling suggests Valentine is right. The European Council on Foreign Relations released a poll this month. It showed that in 10 EU countries, an average of only 16% viewed the U.S. as an ally, while about half viewed it as a necessary partner. Even big Trump supporters are concerned about his threats against Greenland. Clay Duncan works in the medical device industry in Houston.
CLAY DUNCAN: I think that's a dangerous step, right? A lot of times these are negotiation tactics. Because - guess what? - they're watching what just happened in Venezuela. So if he said that military is not off the table, I mean, that might be for Denmark - right? - to get the elicited response.
LANGFITT: The Trump administration released its national security strategy last month. It's far more critical of Europe, which is democratic, than it is of Russia, an authoritarian state which started the biggest war on the continent since 1945. The document accuses the European Union of censoring free speech and suppressing political opposition. It also questions whether European nations can remain, quote, "reliable allies." Alfredo Anthony is a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army. He served for seven years in Europe. Anthony's never seen an American administration disparage allies like this.
ALFREDO ANTHONY: It makes me feel like the parent who is just totally lambasting a child.
LANGFITT: Anthony, who lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, says the message to Europe is clear.
ANTHONY: Hey, Europe, you are not needed. We are no longer going to commit our resources to help you try to clear out everything in your backyard. You have to be the ones to do it. You have to take the lead. We bailed you out too often. Our focus happens to be on the United States, happens to be on the Western Hemisphere. You take care of yourself.
LANGFITT: Anthony worked with NATO, keeping peace in the Balkans. He predicts the Transatlantic Alliance will fragment, and it'll cost the United States. The U.S. won't be able to rely on Europe as it did to fight in Afghanistan after the 9/11 attacks or project power from military strikes in the Middle East.
Frank Langfitt, NPR News, Washington. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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