The Pentagon no longer sees China as a primary threat – US defense strategy updated

The United States is no longer focused on countering China, but accuses previous administrations of ignoring American interests and threatening US military access to the Panama Canal and Greenland. About said in the National Defense Strategy for 2026 published by the Pentagon.

The document gives priority to the United States and the Western Hemisphere, a striking reversal from previous administrations, transmits Politico. The new strategy is in line with the US president's strikes Donald Trump regarding Venezuela and its attempts to seize Greenland.

The current national defense strategy differs from the strategy during Trump's first term in office. In particular, there is no primary focus on countering China. Instead, the document calls for paying attention to the "practical interests" of the American public and abandoning "grand strategies."

Also, in this strategy, unlike the one published in December 2025, the Pentagon does not pay much attention to Europe and does not call the continent a place of "civilizational decline." This shows that the current administration perceives a decline in its importance.

"While Europe is still important, its share of global economic power is declining. While we are engaged and will continue to be engaged in European affairs, we have – and will continue to prioritize – the defense of U.S. territory and the containment of China," the strategy says.

The strategy also states that the United States should no longer "cede access to or influence over key territories in the Western Hemisphere," including the Gulf of Mexico. However, the strategy provides few details on how the Pentagon intends to achieve this.

In the 2018 defense strategy, the first Trump administration prioritized China as the biggest threat to US security. This view was maintained in the Joe Biden administration's 2022 strategy.

But the 2026 document emphasizes a continued focus on diplomacy with China, echoing a recent report on Beijing's military buildup and the creation of a "strong deterrent" in the Pacific to prevent a potential war.

The document also mentions threats to the United States from Russia, Iran, and North Korea, but not on a large scale.

• In December 2025, the Danish Intelligence Service for the first time called the United States a potential threat security. Russia and China are seen as the main sources of risk.
• In January 2026, Trump stated that he wanted to to protect Greenland from being "occupied" by China and Russia. The Chinese Foreign Ministry asked them not to use the country as a pretext to "pursue their own interests."