The Pentagon’s newly released unclassified National Defense Strategy places defense of the U.S. homeland at the top of the priorities list while calling for greater burden-sharing from allies as Washington reassesses its global military footprint.
The document ranks homeland defense above the Indo-Pacific and signals potential reductions to U.S. force posture in Europe and South Korea. It emphasizes allied contributions and expanded investment in the U.S. defense industrial base.
The strategy follows the White House’s National Security Strategy released in December and reflects notable political shifts from the 2022 edition, referencing President Trump far more frequently despite a shorter length. It highlights Trump’s Golden Dome missile defense initiative, renewed emphasis on counter-drone systems, a modernized nuclear deterrent, and an updated interpretation of the Monroe Doctrine.
The Pentagon’s stated priorities are defending the U.S. homeland, deterring China in the Indo-Pacific “through strength, not confrontation,” increasing burden-sharing with allies, and “supercharging” the U.S. defense industrial base.
Read the 2026 National Defense Strategy
