The US announced its national security strategy

The White House today announced the US National Security Strategy, 33 pages long, reflecting President Donald Trump’s policy priorities. This is a document each US president only announces once during his term, helping to guide budget allocation and establish priorities in policy planning of federal agencies.

Different from the orientation of pursuing the sole superpower status for decades, the document said “America rejects the outdated concept of global domination”. The United States will still prevent other powers from seeking to dominate their influence, but that does not mean that Washington will exchange lives and budgets to restrain its opponents.

The US will re-adjust its military presence globally to prioritize responding to urgent threats in the Western Hemisphere region, instead of maintaining forces in locations that have recently decreased in importance to US national security.

The US will increase its influence in Latin America and with strategic areas, such as the Panama Canal. The document strongly criticizes European allies, affirming that Washington will support those with opposing views to the values ​​led by the European Union, especially on the issue of immigration.

The US points out that Europe’s share in the global economy has decreased, largely due to the rise of China and emerging economies, but notes that this is not as serious as the prospect of the region “gradually losing its identity”.

Germany immediately protested, saying that the region “does not need outside advice”, but affirmed that the US would still be its most important ally in NATO.

In its strategy, the US is promoting self-reliance in its domestic energy supply instead of depending on the oil-rich Gulf region, so “Washington will gradually narrow its attention to the Middle East”. The document affirms that ensuring Israel’s security is still a US priority, but does not use strong language like during President Trump’s first term.

For China, the strategy reiterates America’s commitment to a “free and open” Indo-Pacific region, focusing on Beijing as an economic competitor. The US maintains its long-standing position on Taiwan, calling on Japan and South Korea to contribute more to ensure the island’s defense capacity.

Africa is not mentioned much. The document proposed that Washington should move away from “liberal ideology” and “aid relations”, and instead prioritize more realistic goals such as securing strategic mineral resources.