When the world's at stake,
go beyond the headlines.

On Friday, Jan. 23, the U.S. Department of Defense released its new National Defense Strategy, which describes how the department will implement its responsibilities under the National Security Strategy. We asked four experts for their key takeaways.Read more below.Kelly Magsamen Former U.S. Department of Defense Chief of StaffThe 2026 National Defense Strategy is a highly political document that spends more time criticizing its predecessors than providing an analytically rigorous theory of the case. While it is a major departure from prior strategies, there are some consistencies, such as the importance of defending the homeland, ally burden sharing, and a strong defense-industrial base. Unfortunately, I expect that many of our allies and adversaries will interpret the document’s tone and even some of its language as a “spheres of influence” approach — with all the attendant implications for deterrence and hedging behavior.The forthcoming National Military Strategy and Department of Defense budget proposals will provide better insight into how this strategy will be translated into actual adjustments in force structure, posture, and key procurement decisions. And the Trump team will likely face the same familiar friction points and geopolitical realities of its predecessors on implementation.Joshua Treviño Senior Director for the Western Hemisphere Initiative at the America First Policy Institute Chief Transformation Officer at the Texas Public Policy FoundationWithin the Western Hemisphere, the National Defense Strategy is a document that affirms what the preceding National Security Strategy set forth: that the Americas are the central focus of U.S. defense and activity. The National Defense Strategy names “key terrain” within the hemisphere — including Greenland and the Arctic, the Panama Canal, and the “Gulf of America” — as fundamental to U.S. security. Furthermore, the strategy names “narco-terrorists” as a key threat, which in turn suggests continued U.S. attention toward the known estados de narco in the hemisphere, including