Trump new national-security strategy signals a shift in U.S. relations with Europe and outlines major changes in defense, migration, and global power competition.
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| US President Donald Trump gives a thumbs up as he leaves the stage during a peace deal signing ceremony with Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Democratic Republic of the Congo President Felix Tshisekedi at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, DC, on December 4, 2025. Photo by Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images |
Trump new national-security strategy has been released, offering the clearest and most forceful statement yet of the administration’s foreign policy goals as it enters a period of heightened global tension. The document lays out a vision that challenges core assumptions held by European governments, reshapes Washington’s approach to the war in Ukraine, and asserts a renewed focus on securing U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere while countering China’s growing influence. The strategy argues that major changes are needed to protect American interests, and its tone reflects the administration’s view that traditional alliances have become obstacles to decisive action.
The release of the strategy comes after months of debate within Washington about how to balance long-term strategic priorities with immediate geopolitical crises. At its center, the Trump new national-security strategy argues that European leaders have embraced what it calls “unrealistic expectations” for ending the war in Ukraine, resulting in a widening rift between Washington and several European capitals. By challenging NATO’s longstanding approach to membership expansion and calling for Europe to assume greater responsibility for its own defense, the document confirms a dramatic departure from the policies of previous U.S. administrations.
A central theme running through Trump new national-security strategy is the administration’s argument that Europe’s domestic political environment has become too unstable to support long-term strategic cooperation. The strategy claims that many European governments are “perched in unstable minority governments” and that some have “trampled on principles of democracy to suppress opposition.” This rhetoric represents one of the most direct critiques of European governance ever included in a U.S. national-security strategy.
The document’s tone reflects months of intensifying disagreement between Washington and European leaders over the future of Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and a number of other leaders have pressed Ukraine to negotiate an end to the war only if firm security guarantees are in place. They fear that accepting a settlement without U.S. commitments would leave Ukraine vulnerable to future Russian aggression.
Trump’s strategy, however, signals a different path. It argues that Europe’s approach to Ukraine has become overly idealistic and detached from the realities on the ground. It suggests that Washington must play a moderating role between Moscow and a Europe that remains “anxious about the Kremlin’s objectives,” while emphasizing that a durable peace must involve a recalibration of European expectations.
Another major break with previous policy appears in the document’s stance on NATO expansion. Trump new national-security strategy argues that the United States should “end the perception, and prevent the reality, of NATO as a perpetually expanding alliance.” It claims that the alliance’s open-door policy has contributed to instability in Europe and that a more restrained approach is needed.
This is at odds with the policies of both Republican and Democratic administrations. George W. Bush pushed aggressively for Ukraine to move toward NATO membership in 2008, while the Biden administration’s 2022 national-security strategy reaffirmed strong support for enlarging the alliance. Trump’s strategy, by contrast, insists that European states must “take primary responsibility for their own defense” and reduce reliance on U.S. security guarantees.
The shift reflects a broader rethinking of America’s global commitments. The strategy appears to argue that resources tied up in Europe should be redirected toward challenges in the Western Hemisphere and Indo-Pacific, where the administration believes the long-term balance of power will be decided.
Trump new national-security strategy includes one of the strongest statements yet about China’s ambitions in the Western Pacific. It stresses that Washington must “harden and strengthen” military capabilities in the region to deter any attempt by China to alter the strategic balance. The document calls for denying aggression anywhere within the First Island Chain—stretching from Japan through Taiwan and the Philippines to the South China Sea.
The strategy urges U.S. allies in the region to increase defense spending, grant the U.S. greater access to ports and facilities, and invest in capabilities tailored toward deterring Chinese expansion. It argues that this alignment of efforts is essential to prevent Beijing from establishing military or strategic dominance that would block U.S. operations or isolate Taiwan.
This focus reflects a growing consensus within the administration that China, not Russia, is the long-term challenge that demands the most attention and resources. The shift away from Europe, combined with a renewed emphasis on the Indo-Pacific, illustrates how the administration views global priorities.
A major component of Trump new national-security strategy is a pledge to reassert the Monroe Doctrine—an early 19th-century policy opposing foreign interference in the Western Hemisphere. The document says the U.S. will take steps to “restore American preeminence in the Western Hemisphere,” focusing on border security and the fight against drug cartels.
A controversial element is the strategy’s support for using “lethal force” where necessary to dismantle drug trafficking organizations. The administration argues that law-enforcement-only approaches have failed and that stronger measures are needed to disrupt cartel networks. This stance is likely to prompt debate within Congress and among human-rights organizations but reflects a core priority for the administration.
In contrast to the Biden administration, which maintained a significant strategic focus on the Middle East, Trump new national-security strategy states bluntly that the region has “receded” as a central concern for U.S. foreign policy. It argues that America’s energy independence reduces its need to remain deeply involved, even as conflicts in Gaza and uncertainties over Iran’s nuclear program persist.
The strategy acknowledges ongoing challenges but maintains that long-term planning must shift toward regions where the U.S. faces existential strategic rivals, rather than where it confronts episodic crises.
The release of Trump new national-security strategy has drawn mixed reactions. Some former officials argue that the document risks undermining longstanding alliances at a moment when adversaries are watching closely. Jacqueline Ramos, a former deputy assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs, warned that inconsistent leadership could create openings for Russia to exploit divisions. She argued that if U.S. credibility erodes in Europe, it will weaken global deterrence and embolden competitors.
European officials, too, are expected to react strongly, particularly to the strategy’s critique of democratic backsliding and its assertion that European governments are suppressing opposition. Statements accusing Europe of facing “civilizational erasure” due to migration are likely to deepen political friction.
The strategy will be followed by the Pentagon’s forthcoming National Defense Strategy, which will detail specific military programs and spending priorities. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to outline new deployments and capabilities aligned with the shift toward the Western Hemisphere and the Indo-Pacific.
For now, Trump new national-security strategy sets the tone for U.S. engagement abroad, marking a decisive break from several decades of bipartisan foreign policy. Its emphasis on recalibrating alliances, containing China, redefining NATO’s purpose, and taking a more aggressive stance on border security shows how sharply the administration intends to reshape America’s global posture.
