The US “Burden Sharing Network” Takes Shape

The US has for decades used its global network of client states as an extension of its own political, economic, and military power. As Russia reemerges, China rises, and the multipolar world continues to displace the US’ ill-gotten and abused global power – the US will admittedly need to squeeze these client states further.

The 2025 US National Security Strategy openly calls for a “burden sharing network” to extract more resources from US client states than ever before – but as illustrated by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in the directive he delivered to Europe in early 2025 – to do so will require convincing the populations of US client states of sufficient “threats” facing them.