As an equally ignorant non-American, I'd like you to look at a map of all US fleets for 30 seconds
By doing so you'll be able to see that the US Navy is strategically positioned to defend international trade against any kind of blockade that an enemy would try to pull up in a strategic chokepoint
If you squint, though, you'll be able to see that coincidentally the US can use those same fleets to enact said chokeholds. In other words: no one can have a significant world-wide logistics network without the implied consent of the US. Do you know what kind of requires this scale of transportation? a world war between great powers
By doing so you'll be able to see that the US Navy is strategically positioned to defend international trade against any kind of blockade that an enemy would try to pull up in a strategic chokepoint
If you squint, though, you'll be able to see that coincidentally the US can use those same fleets to enact said chokeholds. In other words: no one can have a significant world-wide logistics network without the implied consent of the US. Do you know what kind of requires this scale of transportation? a world war between great powers
Is it clear now what you're paying for?