The United States released its 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS) on Friday (23 January), outlining a renewed focus on homeland defence, great-power deterrence, and allied burden-sharing amid rising multi-theatre risk.
Published by the Department of War, the strategy reflects the security priorities of President Donald J. Trump’s second term and is framed around the doctrine of “peace through strength.” The document states that the aim is not perpetual conflict, but “to set the military conditions required for a decent peace.”
The strategy describes a deteriorating global environment, warning of the growing risk of “simultaneous major wars across theatres.” It identifies China as the primary long-term challenge, while assessing Russia, Iran, and North Korea as persistent regional threats.
Key priorities include:
• Defending the U.S. homeland, with border security, counter-terrorism, cyber resilience, and missile defence under the Golden Dome for America, ensuring the U.S. is “never left vulnerable to nuclear blackmail.”
• Deterring China in the Indo-Pacific through strength rather than confrontation, seeking “a balance of power that allows all of us to enjoy a decent peace.”
• Rebalancing alliances, with partners expected to spend more and act as leaders in their regions, as allies must “do their part without delay.”
• Revitalising the U.S. defence industrial base, described as essential to ensuring the U.S. remains “the world’s premier arsenal.”
Overseen by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, the strategy positions the United States for sustained competition while asserting that “peace is the highest good—but only when secured from a position of strength.”
ℹ️ 2026 National Defense Strategy
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