US has helped protect Europe for 75 years - could the election change that?

A US bearer onslaught radical - a large fleet of warships - is simply a potent awesome of American subject powerfulness and a awesome that it's consenting to support allies and deter enemies.

So the beingness of specified a unit successful the North Sea implicit the past fewer weeks is meant to reassure European allies, contempt the governmental uncertainties backmost home.

American subject powerfulness has helped support Europe for the past 75 years - but the US statesmanlike predetermination raises the question: for however overmuch longer?

Military commanders bash their champion to debar politics.

But among a radical of journalists invited connected committee the USS Harry S Truman, the US statesmanlike contention was precocious connected the agenda. The question was: volition America inactive person Europe's back?

Rear Adm Sean Bailey said: "What I tin archer you is we are firmly committed to our alliance, firmly committed to Nato."

But he's not the 1 who volition beryllium deciding US overseas policy, and nor is his reply apt to assuage doubts.

Germany's Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, knows alteration is successful the air.

Asked astir the apt interaction of the US predetermination connected Europe past week, helium said it was a question of whether America does "a batch less, oregon a small spot less".

He didn't notation names, but it's Donald Trump who's apt to bash a batch less.

USS Harry S Truman proudly bears the sanction of the president who helped found Nato 75 years ago.

But a 2nd Trump word could erstwhile again shingle the confederation to its precise core.

The Truman doctrine of giving military, economical and governmental enactment to antiauthoritarian nations nether menace is precise antithetic to Trump's argumentation of America First.

He precocious said Russia tin "do immoderate the hellhole they want" to allies who don't walk capable connected defence.

Any US withdrawal from Europe would permission a ample hole.

The USS Harry S Truman is impervious of what America brings successful sheer size and numbers - with 5,000 unit and much than 60 aircraft.

The Royal Navy's carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, sailing nearby, provided a reminder of Europe's much humble defences.

The British bearer was sailing with an aerial helping of a fewer helicopters and 8 F-35 jets - a airy reflection of US subject clout.

• How the predetermination could alteration the world
• US allies effort to 'Trump-proof' Nato
• What is Nato and which countries are members?

Overall the US has much than 100,000 subject unit deployed successful Europe.

Last clip helium was president, Trump threatened to retreat immoderate of those forces. If elected helium could bash the aforesaid again.

Many Republicans judge Europe should look aft itself. That's surely the presumption of Elbridge Colby, a elder Pentagon authoritative successful the past Trump administration.

He says the US should "withhold" its forces from Europe to absorption connected the menace posed by China.

The predetermination volition besides person an interaction connected US subject assistance to Ukraine - America is by acold its biggest subject backer.

But a elder Nato official, who did not privation to beryllium named, precocious told the BBC "regardless of who wins the stock of America's publication to Ukraine volition astir apt alteration successful comparative terms".

Europe, helium said, can't expect the US to proceed giving an "outsized" contribution.

The world is that America's subject absorption has already been shifting eastbound to the Indo-Pacific portion and the emergence of China.

The Pentagon identifies China arsenic its top information challenge. China present has a larger navy than the US. It's gathering a fleet the size of the full Royal Navy each 2 years.

The sailors and pilots connected committee the bearer recognise there's a pivot eastbound too.

Cdr Bernie Lutz has spent overmuch of his naval vocation flying F-18s disconnected a US bearer successful the Pacific and Middle East.

He recognises wherefore they're present sailing successful European waters. "There's a batch going on," helium says.

But helium adds, "I deliberation the Pacific theatre is the bigger, overarching semipermanent goal".

Like the remainder of the 5,000-strong unit of the carrier, helium has not yet been told wherever they'll beryllium sailing adjacent - but it's been wide reported that the USS Harry S Truman volition soon beryllium connected its mode to the Middle East.

That region, too, volition stay a situation for whoever's president next.

Capt Dave Snowden says he's blessed to transportation the banner of de-escalation oregon deterrence oregon adjacent sail into harm's mode - wherever the carrier's sent.

But the deficiency of superior overseas argumentation statement successful the predetermination reflects a reluctance to get straight progressive successful much wars.

America volition inactive stay the world's astir pre-eminent subject power.

The question is however volition the adjacent president usage it.