Pentagon Draft Strategy Prioritizes Homeland and Western Hemisphere Defense

Pentagon officials are proposing a significant reorientation of the U.S. military's focus, shifting priority to homeland protection and the Western Hemisphere over the long-standing emphasis on countering China. A draft of the newest National Defense Strategy (NDS), delivered to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week, outlines domestic and regional missions as paramount, according to sources briefed on early versions of the report. This move marks a "striking reversal from the military’s yearslong mandate to focus on the threat from China," as reported by Politico.

The proposed strategy represents a departure from the 2018 and 2022 National Defense Strategies, which primarily centered on deterring China in the Indo-Pacific. Defense Secretary Hegseth indicated in June that an interim NDS, finalized in March, already prioritized homeland defense, allowing the Pentagon to align its planning with the current administration's "America First" agenda. Undersecretary for Policy Elbridge Colby, who played a key role in the 2018 strategy that elevated the Indo-Pacific, is now leading the development of this new NDS, reportedly instructed to place the homeland at the top.

This strategic shift is already manifesting in various domestic deployments. The Pentagon has activated thousands of National Guard troops to support law enforcement in U.S. cities like Los Angeles and Washington D.C. Additionally, military resources have been directed towards border security, with approximately 10,000 troops assisting Customs and Border Patrol, and naval assets deployed to the Caribbean for anti-drug operations. The administration is also pursuing the "Golden Dome" project, a projected $175 billion missile defense system aimed at protecting the U.S. from aerial attacks.

However, the re-prioritization has raised concerns among U.S. allies. There are growing anxieties, particularly in Europe, about potential troop withdrawals and reductions in critical security assistance programs, such as the Baltic Security Initiative. While the administration emphasizes burden-sharing, allies fear a diminished U.S. presence could impact their security. Experts note that this policy direction reflects an internal struggle within the administration, balancing traditional defense priorities with an isolationist stance.

The final version of the NDS, expected to be released soon, along with a forthcoming global posture review, will further delineate how the U.S. military will adapt its force structure and global presence to align with these new priorities. The strategy is poised to redefine America's defense posture for the coming years, with significant implications for both domestic security and international alliances.