«Although Europe remains important, its share of Global economic power is smaller and declining. It follows that, while we are and remain committed to Europe, we must give – and will give – priority to defense of the US national territory and the deterrence against China”: this is one of the key steps of the new one National Defense Strategy released by the Pentagon, according to which the United States must «increase the burden sharing with allies and partners.”
Priority to China and national defense
The United States will prioritize homeland defense and containment China, while providing “more limited” support to allies in Europe and elsewhere. The emphasis is placed on allies called upon to take on greater burdens with less support from Washington, also due to the softer tone towards traditional enemies China and Russia.
«While US forces focus on the defense of the national territory and theIndo-Pacific, our allies and partners elsewhere will assume primary responsibility for their own defense with critical but more limited support from American forces,” the strategy reads.
Manageable Russia and “respectful” relations with Beijing
The previous NDS, published under the presidency of Joe Biden described China as Washington’s most important challenge and said Russia posed a “serious threat.” The new document, however, urges «respectful relations” with Beijing, without mentioning Taiwan, an ally of the United States that China claims as its own territory, and describes the threat from Russia as “persistent but manageable”, limited to the eastern members of the Born.
Both Biden’s and Trump’s strategies state that the defense of the national territory is central, but the identified threats differ significantly.
Borders and national security
The administration’s NDS Trump criticizes the previous administration for neglecting border security, saying it led to a “wave of illegal immigrants” and to a widespread drug trafficking. “Border security is national security” and the Pentagon “will therefore prioritize efforts to seal our borders, repel invasions, and expel illegal immigrants,” the document reads.
Restore American military dominance
Biden focused on China and Russia, saying they posed “more dangerous challenges to internal security” than even the threat of terrorism. However, the 2026 NDS does not mention the dangers of climate change, which the Biden administration had identified as an “emerging threat”.
Like Trump’s National Security Strategy, released last month, the NDS places theLatin America tops US agenda. The Pentagon «will restore the American military dominance in the Western Hemisphere. We will use it to protect our Homeland and our access to key territories across the region,” the document states.
The “Trump Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine
The strategy defines this approach as the «Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine,” a reference to the declaration two centuries ago that Latin America was off-limits to rival powers. Since returning to office last year, Trump has repeatedly employed theUS military in Latin America, ordering a raid that captured the Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife, as well as attacks on more than 30 suspected drug traffickers’ boats that left more than 100 people dead.
The Trump administration has provided no definitive evidence that the sunken ships were involved in drug trafficking and experts international law and groups for i Human rights officials say the attacks could amount to extrajudicial killings, as they targeted civilians who posed no immediate threat to the United States.