Washington DC - The US House on Wednesday approved a sweeping defense bill bolstering European security – a sharp rebuke to President Donald Trump's mounting hostility to traditional US allies.

The bipartisan vote came on the heels of the publication of a White House national security strategy that amounted to a startling attack on Europe -- rattling its governments and opening the biggest transatlantic rift in years.

By contrast, the House's record $900 billion Pentagon bill stands out for its pro-Europe orientation and its clampdown on Trump's authority to reduce troop numbers, move equipment, or downgrade NATO-linked missions.

"President Trump and congressional Republicans are restoring American strength, defending our homeland, standing with our allies, and ensuring the United States remains the most powerful and capable military force the world has ever known," House Speaker Mike Johnson said ahead of the vote.

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In his security strategy published last week, Trump lambasted Europe as an over-regulated, censorious continent lacking in "self-confidence" and facing "civilizational erasure" due to immigration.

The security strategy openly supports far-right European parties, questioning the continent's commitment to peace and indicating that its security is no longer a top US priority. Trump has since doubled down by bashing Europe's countries as "weak" and "decaying."

But lawmakers are explicitly moving in the opposite direction, deepening US resources for the Baltic states and hardening NATO's northeastern flank, in a move that amounts to one of the strongest congressional assertions in years of Europe's strategic importance.

The 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – which now advances to the Senate – carries a robust $8 billion more than the funding Trump requested in May.

It leans hard into European defense, barring troop levels on the continent from falling below 76,000 for more than 45 days and blocking the removal of major equipment.

The White House has backed the 3,086-page text, despite its misgivings over Europe, as well as a provision forcing the Pentagon to hand over videos of deadly strikes on boats in Latin American waters, where the Trump administration has been accused of committing murder.

To ensure compliance, lawmakers will withhold a quarter of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's travel budget until the footage is released, amid reports that he personally ordered a "double-tap" strike that killed survivors and outraged the world.

The NDAA also adds traditional security priorities. It places fresh limits on any reduction of the 28,500 US troops in South Korea, a signal to Seoul amid uncertainty over America's long-term military commitment in East Asia.

Despite support from the administration wavering, the bill also doubles down on Ukraine, setting aside $400 million in security assistance to sustain a baseline of support even if emergency funding stalls.