March 1, 2025 (EIRNS)—In a Feb. 17 article, former Congressman Dennis Kucinich and his wife Elizabeth Kucinich report that President Donald Trump’s talk of cutting the U.S., Russian and Chinese defense budgets in half has already hit the stock prices of major U.S. defense contractors. “Major U.S. defense firms are experiencing notable stock declines, while European defense companies surge in anticipation of increased regional military spending,” they write. Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman have all seen stocks fall, while companies such as Rheinmetall, BAE Systems, and Saab are benefitting from investors expecting a shift in global defense priorities.”
“As President Trump pursues negotiations to bring peace to Ukraine, European governments appear to be moving in the opposite direction, increasing military budgets and deepening their involvement in the conflict,” the Kuciniches write further. “European defense firms are thriving as they anticipate further arms sales to governments committed to escalating military engagement rather than seeking diplomatic solutions.
“This contrast underscores the significance of Trump’s initiative—challenging the entrenched military-industrial complex, wherever it is located, and seeking to end perpetual warfare. The era of unchecked military expansion may be coming to an end, and for the first time in decades, the ability of the defense industry to influence U.S. military policy is being curtailed.”
