Pentagon shifts focus away from China as top security threat

The Pentagon has fundamentally reshaped how it views America's military priorities, with a new National Defense Strategy released Friday that no longer treats China as the primary security concern. Instead, the Defense Department is placing homeland defense at the top of its agenda, followed by deterring China in the Indo-Pacific region, and increasing burden-sharing with allies.

The shift represents a dramatic change from both the first Trump administration's 2018 strategy and the Biden administration's 2022 approach, both of which had identified China as the leading threat to U.S. security. The new document signals that the current administration is willing to pursue diplomacy with Beijing while simultaneously preparing a defensive posture in the Pacific region.

Background

The National Defense Strategy is one of the Pentagon's most important planning documents, laying out how the Defense Department will implement broader national security goals. It typically follows the release of the National Security Strategy and serves as a roadmap for military spending, force deployment, and operational priorities.

Previous administrations had increasingly emphasized competition with China. The first Trump administration's 2018 strategy formally identified Beijing as a major challenger in an era of great power competition. The Biden administration went further in 2022, calling China the "pacing challenge" for the Defense Department, placing it ahead of even Russia as a threat to American interests.

The new strategy comes after months of delay. A draft reached Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's desk in September, but administration officials spent months debating how to describe the China threat, particularly as the White House pursued trade negotiations with Beijing.

Key Details

The 2026 National Defense Strategy lists four main priorities for the Pentagon. Defending the U.S. homeland ranks first, a significant elevation from previous frameworks. Deterring China in the Indo-Pacific through strength and diplomacy comes second, rather than as the top concern. The strategy also emphasizes increasing burden-sharing with U.S. allies and partners, and strengthening the American defense industrial base.

One notable aspect of the new approach is its renewed focus on the Western Hemisphere. The strategy calls the region "neglected" by past efforts and commits to restoring American military dominance throughout the Americas. This includes securing borders, countering narcoterrorism, and protecting U.S. airspace. The document specifically states that the U.S. should "no longer cede access or influence over key terrain in the Western Hemisphere," including the Gulf of Mexico.

"As President Trump has said, the U.S. military's foremost priority is to defend the U.S. Homeland. The Department will therefore prioritize doing just that, including by defending America's interests throughout the Western Hemisphere."

While the strategy mentions threats from Russia, Iran, and North Korea, these are not given the same prominence as in previous years. The document does not lay out specific details about what military assets the Pentagon might deploy to counter these threats or how it will implement many of its stated goals.

The approach toward China differs notably from the confrontational language of recent years. Rather than calling Beijing a direct threat, the strategy emphasizes building what it calls a "strong denial defense" in the Pacific to deter potential conflict, while maintaining diplomatic channels. This reflects the administration's preference for engagement with China even as it prepares for potential military competition.

The shift in Europe

The strategy also signals reduced emphasis on Europe compared to previous administrations. While acknowledging that Europe remains important, the document notes that the continent "has a smaller and decreasing share of global economic power." It states that although the U.S. will remain engaged in Europe, the Pentagon "must and will prioritize defending the U.S. Homeland and deterring China."

This represents a significant departure from the Biden administration's approach, which had elevated European security concerns following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

What This Means

The new strategy suggests the Pentagon is preparing for a different kind of military posture than the one it has maintained over the past several years. By placing homeland defense first, the administration is signaling that it views threats to American territory and the Western Hemisphere as requiring immediate attention.

The deprioritization of China as the top threat does not mean the Pentagon is ignoring Beijing. Rather, it suggests the administration believes it can manage competition with China through deterrence and diplomacy rather than through military confrontation. The emphasis on a "denial defense" in the Pacific indicates the Pentagon plans to make it costly for China to attempt military action against U.S. interests or allies, without necessarily matching Chinese military capabilities in every domain.

The renewed focus on the Western Hemisphere reflects concerns about increased Chinese and Russian influence in Latin America and the Caribbean. The strategy's language about the Monroe Doctrine being "in effect and stronger than ever" signals the administration's determination to maintain U.S. dominance in its traditional sphere of influence.

The strategy's call for increased burden-sharing with allies suggests the Pentagon expects other nations to take on greater responsibility for their own defense, potentially reducing the scope of U.S. military commitments abroad. This aligns with the administration's stated preference for allies to contribute more to mutual defense arrangements.

The Pentagon released the strategy with minimal announcement, emailing the document late Friday evening as a major snowstorm was approaching the East Coast. This unusual timing for such a significant policy document suggested the administration wanted limited initial attention to the shift in priorities.