The Pentagon’s new National Defense Strategy signals a significant shift in U.S. security priorities, emphasizing a “more limited” role in supporting allies and naming homeland and Western Hemisphere defense—not China—as its primary concern. The document calls for greater “burden-sharing” from partners, particularly in Europe and Asia.
While previous strategies framed China and Russia as top challenges, the 2026 report describes Russia as a “persistent but manageable threat” to NATO’s east and approaches China with an emphasis on strength over confrontation. It also notes that allies like South Korea should take primary responsibility for regional deterrence, such as against North Korea. The strategy aligns with President Trump’s focus on what it terms “hardnosed realism” and U.S. interests, moving away from what it calls the “utopian idealism” of past administrations.
