politics
January 25, 2026
Pentagon names protecting US interests in Western hemisphere as key defense priority
Washington believes that the responsibility for resolving the conflict in Ukraine lies mostly on Europe’s shoulders
TL;DR
- The primary focus of the US military's new National Defense Strategy is the protection of US interests throughout the Western Hemisphere.
- The US will no longer allow diminished access or influence in the Western Hemisphere, from the Arctic to South America.
- US forces will prioritize Homeland defense and the Indo-Pacific region, leading to reduced support for allies in other areas.
- Allies in Europe, the Middle East, and the Korean Peninsula are expected to take primary responsibility for their own security.
- The US believes Europe bears the main responsibility for resolving the conflict in Ukraine.
- The US strategy towards China does not involve attempts to change its government or engage in conflict.
- The Department of War will focus on developing systems to counter unmanned aerial vehicles and other aerial threats.
- There will be a large-scale modernization of US nuclear forces for deterrence and escalation management.
- The US will maintain a resource-sustainable approach to countering Islamic terrorist groups targeting the US Homeland.