Fareed Zakaria warns of some unintended consequences of the US pushing Europe to spend more on defense–WWIII?

Here is some of how it starts out:

Even people who dislike Donald Trump tend to give him credit for one thing: getting NATO to pay its fair share. American presidents have long grumbled about burden sharing. Trump has been crude, theatrical and transactional, but the sentiment he expressed was broadly shared. And Europeans got the message. Non-American NATO countries collectively spent 1.4 percent of their combined gross domestic product on defense in 2014; in 2025, it was close to 2.3 percent.

But be careful what you wish for.

When I watched it, it seemed almost like Fareed Zakaria had read warnings here at this COGwriter Church of God News page.

Why?

Fareed Zakaria brought up points like having the Europeans spend more the way the Trump Administration has done it:

• Will reduce USA influence
• Is a causing major cracks in NATO
• Will get Europe to become more independent on matters of foreign policy
• Is getting the Europeans to spend less on USA weaponry
• Is getting the Europeans to develop their own military equipment
• Will change what NATO is and does
• Will lead to unintended consequences

Fareed Zakaria also interviewed two European leaders who basically said that no matter who replaces Donald Trump in the future, the Europeans have concluded that they must be able to be their own military power.

Fareed Zakaria also observed that since Germany is the biggest economy, its increase in spending will make it become dominant. And that will the USA dominated NATO had stopped it, Germany will gain power.

As regular readers of this COGwriter Church of God News page realize, the Bible has prophesies that a Germanic dominated Beast power will arise. Here are some of them:

1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. 2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” (Revelation 13:1-4)

5 “Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger
And the staff in whose hand is My indignation.
6 I will send him against an ungodly nation,
And against the people of My wrath
I will give him charge,
To seize the spoil, to take the prey,
And to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
7 Yet he does not mean so,
Nor does his heart think so;
But it is in his heart to destroy,
And cut off not a few nations.
8 For he says,
‘Are not my princes altogether kings?
9 Is not Calno like Carchemish?
Is not Hamath like Arpad?
Is not Samaria like Damascus?
10 As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols,
Whose carved images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria,
11 As I have done to Samaria and her idols,
Shall I not do also to Jerusalem and her idols?’”

12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Lord has performed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, that He will say, “I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his haughty looks.”

13 For he says:

“By the strength of my hand I have done it,
And by my wisdom, for I am prudent;
Also I have removed the boundaries of the people,
And have robbed their treasuries;
So I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man.
14 My hand has found like a nest the riches of the people,
And as one gathers eggs that are left,
I have gathered all the earth;
And there was no one who moved his wing,
Nor opened his mouth with even a peep.”  (Isaiah 10:5-14)

For a time, he will be a successful military leader and the world will marvel because of his defeat of the rich USA and other nations (cf. Daniel 11:39-43).

His rise will happen after one or more crises (related to one, watch Fourth Horseman, COVID, and the Rise of the Beast of Revelation.). The old Radio Church of God published the following:

Germany is … going to spark World War III! 

Notice the prophecies!

“O Asshur, the rod of Mine anger,” declares God. Here is a prophecy concerning Germany — the descendants of Asshur today! “The staff,” says God, “in their hand is Mine indignation. I will send him against an hypocritical nation (that is, Israel — America and Britain today), and… I will give him a charge to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets” (Isaiah 10:5-6). …

God is going to punish us by the very nation whom we have tried to buy for an ally! It is God who is going to permit the revival of Nazism to punish us in World War III. We have won two major wars against Germany in one generation. But the third time God is going to punish us as we have never been punished before! The sword of war is going to strike us “the third time” (Ezekiel 21:14), and we are going to be led away captive to Assyria and to all nations (Isaiah 11:10-12).   

When our people have learned their lesson, and repented of their sins and quit breaking God’s law — the Ten Commandments — and surrender their lives to their Creator, we read in Isaiah 10:12-22: “Wherefore it shall come to pass, that, when the Lord hath performed His whole work upon Mount Zion and on Jerusalem” — when His people Israel and Judah have gone through trial and tribulation — “I,” declares God, “will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. For he saith, ‘By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed the bonds of the people, and have robbed their treasures, and I have put down the inhabitants like a valiant man: and my hand,’” continues the coming dictator of Germany, “‘hath found as a nest the riches of the people: and as one gathereth eggs that are left, have I gathered all the earth; and there was none that moved the wing, or opened the mouth, or peeped.'(Hoeh H. Germany in Prophecy. Radio Church of God, 1958)

The old Worldwide Church of God published the following:

As long as prosperity exists, the German way of life will not change. As history clearly shows, however, a fall in the economy always means an alteration in the political course of the nation! Not only will Germany be affected, but the REST OF EUROPE as well. What will happen to Germany, will equally apply to all of Europe.

An economic problem in Germany — the economic heart of Europe — will affect all of Europe and force a UNIFICATION to prevent collapse. The DANGER TO AMERICA will then become most ACUTE. …

The Bible prophesies that this united European power will ATTACK and DESTROY America and Britain! (Boraker R. We Saw the New Germany! Good News, November 1967)

Yes, after a crisis, things will change and a reorganization that will bring unity under the Beast will occur per Revelation 17:12-13 (see also Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations?).

This will not end well for the USA or its British-descended allies.

Germany is rising up in a military way.

Many seem to not realize that the Bible prophesied that Germany would lose what was called WWI and WWII, but that it will succeed militarily for WWIII:

23 And after the league is made with him he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people. 24 He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, spoil, and riches; and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but only for a time. (Daniel 11:23-24)

Consider that the German-European alliance was defeated in WWI and WWII. So yes, the fathers (WWII) and forefathers (WWI) of the final King of the North failed to defeat the UK and USA those two times. But notice that he is prophesied to be successful against the strongholds, in this case meaning the military alliance of the USA and UK. The third time basically is WWIII and the Germanic-European King of the North Beast power will succeed per Daniel 11:24 and Daniel 11:39 (see also USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses). Despite having wealth and the strongholds, the USA and UK will be defeated (this is also basically confirmed in Daniel 11:39). And the USA is unknowingly pushing Europe in that direction.

Let me remind everyone that the Bible teaches that the coming European King of the North Beast power will have “a great army” (Daniel 11:25) and the Trump Administration is pushing Europe in that direction.

The days of the USA are numbered.