
US direct costs to NATO common funds: ~$750M/year ($7.5B/decade). Broader US defense outlays tied to European security: ~$30-40B/year per IISS/RAND estimates (~$300-400B/decade). Economic returns: US-EU trade/investment exceeds $5T/decade recently (total ~$1.2T/year in 2023). RAND modeling links NATO to higher bilateral trade, yielding modest-to-substantial US GDP gains; a 50% retrenchment scenario projects $170B annual GDP loss from Europe alone. Net: Positive. Per-decade benefit ~$500B+ (trade/security stability). Cumulatively since 1949: trillions in avoided losses + enabled commerce, per Atlantic Council/Wilson Center analyses. US gets outsized leverage from alliance burden-sharing.





















