The U.S. Department of Defense has released the 2026 National Defense Strategy, which prioritizes the security of the United States and the Western Hemisphere - a stark departure from the strategies of previous administrations. On one hand, this aligns with Trump's actions against Venezuela and his attempt to acquire Greenland, while on the other hand, the new defense strategy no longer identifies China as the greatest threat to U.S. security, as was the case with the previous two administrations (Trump's first term and the Biden administration), and countering China is no longer the top priority.
The draft of the strategy had been on the desk of Defense Secretary Austin for months but remained on hold for several months. This was mainly due to disputes among government officials on how to describe the threat posed by China during trade negotiations with China. Eventually, the strategy emphasized that the U.S. will continue to focus on diplomatic engagement with China, echoing the recent annual report on Beijing's military buildup, while emphasizing the need to "build a strong defense system" in the Pacific region to deter potential wars. The strategy does not specifically mention which U.S. military assets may be deployed to the region. At the same time, the document mentions threats posed by Russia, Iran, and North Korea, but these threats are not highlighted.
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Original: toutiao.com/article/1855175182384523/
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