Sign Up Account Profile Log Out

Newsletters Morning Report 12:30 Report Evening Report Business Defense Health Care Technology Newsletter Energy & Environment Whole Hog Politics The Gavel The Movement

Technology Newsletter

NEWS Senate House Administration Courts Future America Media Campaign News Education In The Know Latino LGBTQ DC News Race & Politics State Watch Print Edition People in the News

POLICY Defense Health Care Energy & Environment Technology Transportation International Cybersecurity National Security Space Sustainability

BUSINESS Budget Taxes Personal Finance Lobbying

OPINION Columnists Congress Blog All Contributors Opinions – Campaign Opinions – Civil Rights Opinions – Criminal Justice Opinions – Cybersecurity Opinions – Education Opinions – Energy and Environment Opinions – Finance Opinions – Healthcare Opinions – Immigration Opinions – International Opinions – Judiciary Opinions – National Security Opinions – Technology Opinions – White House Submit Opinion Content

All Contributors Opinions – Campaign Opinions – Civil Rights Opinions – Criminal Justice Opinions – Cybersecurity Opinions – Education Opinions – Energy and Environment Opinions – Finance Opinions – Healthcare Opinions – Immigration Opinions – International Opinions – Judiciary Opinions – National Security Opinions – Technology Opinions – White House

Opinions – Civil Rights

Opinions – Criminal Justice

Opinions – Cybersecurity

Opinions – Energy and Environment

Opinions – Healthcare

Opinions – Immigration

Opinions – International

Opinions – National Security

Opinions – Technology

Opinions – White House

Submit Opinion Content

EVENTS Upcoming Events About

Sign Up Account Profile Log Out

Supreme Court tariffs ruling

Content from Google Cloud

Opinion Big Tech should sell America on AI data centers, not the other way around Opinions - Technology | 15 minutes ago

Rand Paul lauds Supreme Court tariff decision: ‘In defense of our Republic’ Senate | 22 minutes ago

Moreno calls for GOP to codify scuttled Trump tariffs Senate | 29 minutes ago

GOP Sen. John Curtis praises Supreme Court ruling against Trump tariffs House | 31 minutes ago

Warren calls for tariff refund for consumers after Supreme Court ruling Senate | 36 minutes ago

Watch live: Trump gives remarks after Supreme Court strikes down tariffs Video | 40 minutes ago

Trump loosens restrictions on toxic pollution, including mercury and lead, from coal plants Energy & Environment | 42 minutes ago

Opinion Victory and backing Israel aren’t conflicting goals for Democrats — they’re the same Opinions - Campaign | 45 minutes ago

Europe is hankering for its own strategic nuclear deterrent

Uncertain about the future of the American nuclear umbrella that actually predates the creation of NATO in 1949, European leaders have openly begun to discuss the possibility of relying on a nuclear deterrent independent of the U.S. — although all would prefer to retain the American umbrella as long as Washington is prepared to extend it.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron provided the most visible manifestation of Europe’s new thinking about a nuclear deterrent. Merz pointed out to his conference audience that he has “held preliminary talks on European nuclear deterrence with French President Emmanuel Macron,” though he “added “for the record” that “we are thinking of nuclear deterrence strictly embedded in our nuclear sharing within NATO.”

For his part, Macron promised “broader European consultation” on the extension of a U.S.-independent deterrent, promising that “we will address together these issues [and] coordinate.”

Merz noted in an interview several days after his speech to the conference that France had offered to extend its nuclear umbrella to Germany. Merz pointed out that he did not want Germany “to consider developing its own nuclear weapons,” but he made it clear that he was open to further discussing the French offer. He certainly did not rule out cooperation with the U.K., but it was the French offer that was on the table.

France has an independent capability with the decision to employ the weapons lying in the hands of the French president. France also does not belong to NATO’s nuclear planning group.

In contrast, the British deterrent is intertwined with that of the U.S. Britain’s Trident missiles are part of a larger American pool; they include many American components and are tested in the U.S. Although technically under the control of the U.K. Government, it is highly unlikely that they would be launched independent of an American decision to employ nuclear weapons.

It is therefore difficult to conceive of any serious British participation in a European deterrent that operated independent of the U.S., should Washington ever leave NATO or withdraw its European umbrella.

There can be little doubt, therefore, that despite the three-way talks on strategic nuclear strategy that have taken place among France, Germany and the U.K., it is the Franco-German relationship that offers the greater prospect of a new European deterrent.

Merz noted in his interview that France and what was then West Germany had discussed a nuclear weapons partnership as early as the 1960s. It is noteworthy, however, that while French President Charles de Gaulle and West German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer had a famously successful working relationship virtually from their first meeting in 1958, de Gaulle never offered to relinquish his control over France’s nuclear arsenal.

France has not changed its position in this regard, and Merz made it clear in his interview that he recognized that his country would not have the decision-making authority to order a nuclear strike. As he saw it, Germany would rely on a French deterrent in much the same way it currently relies on the American one; and he reiterated his view that he preferred to see both deterrent operating in tandem.

While Merz clearly appears to be open to accepting a French nuclear umbrella, the practicalities for such an arrangement could take considerable time to iron out. Macron made it clear in his Munich speech that his offer was extended to all France’s European allies, specifically mentioning Sweden. The more countries that are involved in the creation of a new European deterrent, the longer it will take to reach any definitive agreement among them.

Senior Washington officials continue to reassure their European counterparts that there is no thought of withdrawing the American nuclear umbrella. Nevertheless, as long as the Trump administration continues to whittle away at both NATO’s command structure and the size of the U.S. military presence on the continent, Europeans will worry about the sincerity of those assurances. They will proceed, however slowly, with a design for a strategic nuclear deterrent of their own.

Dov S. Zakheim is a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and vice chairman of the board for the Foreign Policy Research Institute. He was undersecretary of Defense (comptroller) and chief financial officer for the Department of Defense from 2001 to 2004 and a deputy undersecretary of Defense from 1985 to 1987.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

More Opinions - National Security News

Watch live: Trump gives remarks after Supreme Court strikes down tariffs

Supreme Court strikes down bulk of Trump’s tariffs

Hundreds of students suspended, schools under close watch over anti-ICE walkouts

Live updates: Supreme Court strikes down most of Trump’s tariffs in 6-3 ruling

Judge throws out ruling backing Trump mass detention policy

Gorsuch, Barrett side with liberals on nixing Trump tariffs

Moreno calls for GOP to codify scuttled Trump tariffs

Cruz: ‘Entirely possible’ Iran, Venezuela, Cuba regimes will fall in next 6 ...

Read: Supreme Court ruling on Trump tariffs

Gorsuch’s ‘told you so’ moment on Trump’s tariffs

Warren calls for tariff refund for consumers after Supreme Court ruling

Trump tells governors Supreme Court tariff decision is a ‘disgrace’

Kamala Harris may yet be the Democratic nominee in 2028

Fighter jets intercept Russian warplanes near Alaska

Moore, Polis to attend governors meeting after White House reverses course

Large Trump banner unfurled at DOJ

US-born Olympian Eileen Gu on Vance criticism: ‘That’s sweet’

5 takeaways from Trump’s Board of Peace launch event

2024 Election Results

2024 Election Forecast

Regulation - Administration

Energy & Environment Video Clips

Health Care Video Clips

Technology Video Clips

Transportation Video Clips

International Video Clips

Cybersecurity Video Clips

National Security Video Clips

Contributors to The Hill

Submit Opinion Content

PRIVACY POLICY 09/30/2025

Advertise with Nexstar

Journalistic Integrity

THE HILL 400 N CAPITOL STREET NW, SUITE 650 WASHINGTON DC 20002

© 1998 - 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved.

Provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc.

Sign in to create a free account. No password needed.

By clicking on any of the sign up options below, you confirm that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use, which includes a jury trial waiver and class action waiver, and that you have read our Privacy Policy detailing our collection, use and sharing of your personal information.

By clicking on any of the sign up options below, you confirm that you have read and agree to our Terms of Use, which includes a jury trial waiver and class action waiver, and that you have read our Privacy Policy detailing our collection, use and sharing of your personal information.

The Hill is provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc., and uses the My Nexstar sign-in, which works across our media network.

Learn more at nexstar.tv/privacy-policy.

The Hill is provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc., and uses the My Nexstar sign-in, which works across our media network.

Nexstar Media Group, Inc. is a leading, diversified media company that produces and distributes engaging local and national news, sports, and entertainment content across its television and digital platforms. The My Nexstar sign-in works across the Nexstar network—including The CW, NewsNation, The Hill, and more. Learn more at nexstar.tv/privacy-policy.

Provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc.

Check your email inbox

Provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc.

Thanks for registering!

Provided by Nexstar Media Group, Inc.

Are you sure you want to log out?

© The Hill