King Charles III Visit Reminded Us that Alliances are an American Superpower
America’s strong web of alliances has acted as a force multiplier.
In his April address to both houses of Congress, King Charles III observed that “The challenges we face are too great for any one nation to bear alone” – a reference to America’s enviable system of alliances. Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged the contributions of America’s allies during his D-Day speech at Normandy over the weekend observing that “strong allies, each fully committed to doing their part win wars.” In the 21st century, no event brought the importance of having geopolitical friends into sharp relief more than the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
The world rallied to our defense rhetorically and militarily, including the Brits! Within 24 hours, Article 5 of the NATO charter, which states that “The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all…” was invoked for the first and only time in the Alliance’s 77-year history. At its peak, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in Afghanistan was comprised of more than 130,000 soldiers representing 51 nations. Denmark and Canada, Germany and Ukraine, Poland and Latvia were among the many that shed blood and treasure in a humbling display of commitment to our nation.
In 2020, ALEC adopted a Resolution Supporting the United States’ Commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) During the Year the Alliance Celebrates Its 70th Anniversary, and last December, the ALEC Federalism, Homeland Security, and International Relations Task Force (FHIR) was proud to pass the American City County Exchange (ACCE) model, Never Forget: September Eleventh Education and Awareness Act. Both model policies underscore the power of strategic partnerships.
King Charles explained, “We do not embark on these remarkable endeavours together out of sentiment. We do so because they build greater shared resilience for the future, so making our citizens safer for generations to come.”
However imperfect, the transatlantic alliance heralded decades of unparalleled peace and prosperity in the North Atlantic – a fact Americans intuitively understand. Respondents to the November 2025 Reagan National Defense Strategy survey want our country to:
- Be a global leader;
- Maintain the military strength necessary to deter authoritarian adversaries; and
- Stand together with allies who defend freedom.
Almost 70% of survey respondents hold a favorable view of NATO; 62% want Ukraine to prevail against Russia, with 45% supporting “Ukraine’s Full Territorial Liberation;” and 77% believe it is important to defend Taiwan militarily against China, citing “commitments to strategic partners” as the primary reason and “defending democracy and sovereignty” as the secondary. Comprehensive survey results are here.
America’s strong web of alliances has acted as a force multiplier. Our allies host U.S. military bases in strategic locations around the world, facilitating U.S. power projection in a cost-effective way that saves lives. U.S. service members injured recently in the Persian Gulf were evacuated to Landstuhl Medical Centre in Germany, adjacent to Ramstein Air Base, which provides logistical support for the military effort. This base was also central for the multinational “Coalition of the Willing,” which fought alongside Americans in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Countering the threat posed by China requires cooperation with our allies. Launched in 2021, AUKUS is a trilateral pact between the U.S., Australia, and the UK to secure the Indo-Pacific, and any near-term plan to reduce U.S. dependence on China’s near-90% stranglehold on critical-minerals processing involves cooperation with our allies – most notably Australia and Malaysia. At a recent Summit, AUKUS partners announced AUKUS Pillar II to prioritize Uncrewed Undersea Vehicles (UUVs), a cutting-edge weapons systems that will enhance force projection in the Indo-Pacific.
America’s system of alliances has been so successful that our adversaries have begun to emulate it. Iran and China signed a bilateral 25-year pact in 2021 to integrate trade, infrastructure and energy, and in January 2025, Russia and Iran signed a 20-year Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Treaty to strengthen economic, political and defense ties. Later in 2025, China, Iran and Russia negotiated a trilateral comprehensive strategic framework to deepen diplomatic and military cooperation, and Iranian and Chinese assistance has been invaluable to Russia in its prosecution of its war against Ukraine.
Read more about how the PRC props up the Russian military in China, Russia and Ukraine: An Overlooked Moment at the Munich Security Conference.
Some of our most important strategic partnerships face growing pressure. Alliances, like any important relationship, should not be taken for granted and need to be nurtured to thrive. The U.S. must remain reliable and predictable for our allies around the world. In October 2020, then Secretary of Defense Mark Esper observed, “…our global constellation of allies and partners remain an enduring strength that our competitors and adversaries cannot match.” America’s carefully cultivated alliance network enables us to project power and deter adversaries. Let us not forget that this vital strategic asset is our superpower.