The Pentagon on released an unclassified version of its 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS), placing defense of the U.S. homeland and the U.S. interests across the Western Hemisphere above all other military priorities.
The strategy also outlined other priorities for the U.S. defense department over the remaining three years of President Donald Trump’s second term, including “increasing burden-sharing” with allies and partners and “supercharging” the U.S. defense industrial base.
“As President Trump has said, the U.S. military’s foremost priority is to defend the U.S. Homeland. The Department will therefore prioritize doing just that, including by defending America’s interests throughout the Western Hemisphere,” the strategy reads.
The document references Greenland, a Danish territory, five times, describing it as a “key terrain” of the United States and pledging to ensure U.S. access.
“We will guarantee U.S. military and commercial access to key terrain, especially the Panama Canal, Gulf of America, and Greenland,” the document reads.
Trump renamed the Gulf of Mexico the “Gulf of America” shortly after returning to office in 2025, though the body of water continues to be referred to internationally by its long-established name. He has also repeatedly suggested the United States should consider regaining control of the Panama Canal and, until this week, did not rule out military options related to Greenland.
The strategy says the Pentagon will ensure that U.S. neighbors, from Canada to countries in Central and South America, “do their part to defend our shared interests,” warning that “where they do not, we will stand ready to take focused, decisive action that concretely advances U.S. interests.”
The document also highlights homeland air and missile defense, calling for the development of the “Golden Dome” missile defense system alongside other drone-specific defensive measures.
The strategy signals a shift in U.S. military commitments overseas, urging allies to assume greater responsibility for regional security while enabling Washington to focus on what it deems higher priorities.
“Our NATO allies are therefore strongly positioned to take primary responsibility for Europe’s conventional defense, with critical but more limited U.S. support,” the strategy states, adding that this includes taking the lead in supporting Ukraine’s defense.
It is “Europe’s responsibility first and foremost” to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which has lasted nearly four years, the document says, noting that U.S. support for Ukraine and Europe’s defense will be “more limited” in the coming years.
The NDS, which usually follows the National Security Strategy, is issued once per administration and sets military priorities for a president’s term, shaping future budgets, force posture decisions, alliance commitments and defense industrial investment.
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