The Trump administration indicated in its newly released National Security Strategy that "the days of propping up the entire world order like Atlas are over" — that American allies will have to "take more responsibility for security in their neighborhoods," especially as America orients its focus to the Western Hemisphere and hardens its presence in the Western Pacific.The strategy document specifically called for "Europe to stand on its own feet and operate as a group of aligned sovereign nations, including taking primary responsibility for its own defense."It appears, however, that members of Congress want America to shoulder the burden of European defense indefinitely.In order to withdraw US forces past the 76,000 mark, the Trump administration would have to demonstrate to Congress that such a move would not adversely impact American or NATO security interests. The version of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act finalized by both House and Senate negotiators and released on Sunday — a budget that exceeds President Donald Trump's $892.6 billion budget request for the Pentagon by $8 billion — would block the Pentagon both from reducing the number of troops "stationed in or deployed to the area of responsibility of the United States European Command below 76,000 for longer than a 45-day period" and from using any funds appropriated under the act to move any Pentagon equipment originally valued at $500,000 out of Europe.In order to withdraw U.S. forces past the 76,000 mark, the Trump administration would have to demonstrate to Congress that such a move would not adversely impact American or NATO security interests. The number of U.S. troops stationed in Europe fluctuates between around 80,000 and 100,000.Citing five sources familiar with the discussion, including a U.S. official, Reuters reported that Pentagon officials told European diplomats during a recent meeting that Washington expects Europe to take over most of NATO's conventional defense capabilities such as troops and missile defense by 2027. Failure to do so might prompt America to end its participation in certain NATO defense coordination mechanisms, said the sources.RELATED: 'Enemy of Europe': Liberal globalists attack Trump over recognizing 'civilizational erasure' in Europe American troops and attack helicopters in Germany. Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images.Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said in a statement, "We've been very clear in the need for Europeans to lead in the conventional defense of Europe. We are committed to working through NATO coordination mechanisms to strengthen the alliance and ensure its long-term viability as European allies increasingly take on responsibility for conventional deterrence and defense in Europe."U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau added on X that "Europe must take primary responsibility for its own security.""Successive US Administrations have been saying this in one form or another pretty much my whole life — look up the 1969 'Nixon doctrine' — but our Administration means what it says," added Landau.The current version of the NDAA would also prohibit the administration from letting the head of U.S. European Command — Air Force Gen. Alexus Grynkewich — relinquish his role as NATO supreme allied commander in Europe.Thanks to Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin (Ill.), the NDAA as written would also codify the Baltic Security Initiative, hamstringing any efforts on the part of the administration to suspend the program, which uses American funds to bankroll Baltic states' defense capabilities. Billions of U.S. dollars have been poured into the BSI in recent years even as Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia began investing more into their own defense.In addition to ensuring that America remains bogged down in Europe, the 2026 NDAA as written has other provisions that might hamper the administration's ability to realize its national security strategy in full.The legislation states that it is "the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Defense should continue efforts that strengthen United States defense alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region so as to further the comparative advantage of the United States in strategic competition with the People's Republic of China."To this end, the legislation would prohibit obligating or expending any funds to reduce the total number of troops that are permanently stationed in or deployed to Korea below 28,500 or "to complete the transition of wartime operational control of the United States-Republic of Korea Combined Forces Command from United States-led command to Republic of Korea-led command" unless War Secretary Pete Hegseth provides an assessment and certification to Congress showing that doing so is in America's national interest and is being undertaken only after consulting with several foreign nations, including Korea and Japan.Like Blaze News? 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In an interview Sunday on CBS News, Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota argued that the Trump administration was using Nazi rhetoric against Somali immigrants.The Somali community in Minnesota has come under intense scrutiny after dozens of convictions related to fraud, totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. The controversy has led some to argue that immigration standards should be strengthened to avoid further criminal activity from migrants.'We know the way that people were described who were coming from Ireland, Irish immigrants. ... We know the way in which people were described back then, when they were Italian immigrants.'On Sunday, Omar fired back against comments from White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller claiming Somali migrants are unable to assimilate into the U.S. culture."You are not just importing individuals. You are importing societies," Miller said in response to an article on the Somali community. "No magic transformation occurs when failed states cross borders. At scale, migrants and their descendants recreate the conditions, and terrors, of their broken homelands."Omar called the claims "white supremacist" rhetoric and compared Somalis to earlier communities of migrants in the country's history."It reminds me of the way the Nazis described Jewish people in Germany. And as we know, there have been many immigrants who have tried to come to the United States who have turned back one of them being Jewish immigrants," Omar said."We know the way that people were described who were coming from Ireland, Irish immigrants," Omar added. "We know the way in which people were described back then, when they were Italian immigrants. And to me, we're, yes, of course, ethnically Somali. We are in this country as Americans, we are citizens, we are a productive part of this nation, and we will continue to be." Video of Omar's comments were posted to social media by the White House rapid response team.RELATED: Minnesota news outlet gets wrecked online for story on Somali migrants' economic impact Omar was also pressed by the CBS host on how the fraud grew to such a large scale."I think what happened is that when you have these kind of new programs that are designed to help people, you're oftentimes relying on third parties to be able to facilitate," she responded. "And I just think that a lot of the COVID programs that were set up — they were set up so quickly that a lot of the guardrails did not get created."About 78 people have been indicted in various scams in Minnesota, and dozens have been convicted. The Somali community in Minnesota includes about 107,000 members, or about 2% of the total population, according to some estimates. The percentage of Muslims in the state is about the same.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina gave her Republican colleagues a reality check, expressing deep frustrations with the state of GOP leadership in Congress. Mace penned an op-ed in the New York Times on Monday criticizing the GOP leadership on Capitol Hill, calling out Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) by name. 'Here’s a hard truth Republicans don’t want to hear.'Mace conceded that Johnson is a better choice than former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), whom she voted to oust back in 2023, but argued that the most effective congressional leader is actually on the opposite side of the political spectrum. "Speaker Mike Johnson is better than his predecessor," Mace said. "But the frustrations of being a rank-and-file House member are compounded as certain individuals or groups remain marginalized within the party, getting little say."RELATED: 'You're a piece of s**t': Nancy Mace and Cory Mills clash in heated exchange after failed censure Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesMace said Republicans don't take women in office seriously, implying that the conference chair position was a slot informally reserved for the "token" female in GOP leadership. "Women will never be taken seriously until leadership decides to take us seriously, and I’m no longer holding my breath," Mace said. "Since 2013, the Republican conference chair position has gone to a woman. It’s the token slot, the designated leadership role for the top woman in the conference, while the real power lies in other offices."One woman Mace admitted was a force to be reckoned with is former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), whose leadership style Mace deemed more effective than that of the GOP. RELATED: 'Low IQ traitor': Trump torches MTG after she claims he 'directly fueled' death threats against her Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images"Here’s a hard truth Republicans don’t want to hear: Nancy Pelosi was a more effective House speaker than any Republican this century," Mace said. "I agree with her on essentially nothing. But she understood something we don’t: No majority is permanent.""When Democrats hold the majority, they ram through the most progressive policies they can. They deliver for the coalition that elected them while they are in power."Republicans do the opposite. ... We pass the most moderate policies we can pressure conservatives to accept, betraying the coalition that delivered us here," Mace continued."Ms. Pelosi was ruthless, but she got things done."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

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Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., a centrist who often breaks with his party on health policy, said House Republicans have spent years attacking the Affordable Care Act without producing a workable replacement.