US National Defense Strategy 2026: Pentagon Pivots from China to Homeland Defense

The world's policeman is heading home. In a seismic shift of military doctrine, the Pentagon has officially downgraded China from its spot as the top security priority.

Inside the US National Defense Strategy 2026 Shift

According to Reuters, the new National Defense Strategy (NDS) published on Friday, January 23, 2026, marks a definitive end to post-Cold War idealism. The 34-page document declares that the security of the US homeland and the Western Hemisphere is now the department's chief concern. This replaces the 2022 strategy which prioritized the 'multi-domain threat' from Beijing.

The strategy reinforces the "America First" agenda of the Donald Trump administration, trading "utopian idealism" for "hardnosed realism." The Pentagon signaled it will offer "more limited" support to international allies, focusing instead on securing military and commercial access to key terrain like the Panama Canal and Greenland.

Allies Told to Lead as Russia and China Risks Recalibrated

Relations with China are now approached through "strength, not confrontation," with the document notably omitting any mention of Taiwan. While the US aims to prevent Chinese domination, the goal isn't to "strangle or humiliate" them. Meanwhile, Russia is described as a "persistent but manageable" threat, with the burden of deterrence shifting heavily toward European NATO members.

In the Asia-Pacific, the Pentagon suggested a more limited role in deterring North Korea, stating that South Korea is "capable of taking primary responsibility." This "burden-sharing" push has sparked concern among middle powers. At Davos, former central banker Mark Carney warned that the old world order isn't coming back, urging nations like Canada and Australia to act together or risk being "on the menu."