2026 National Defense Strategy The U.S. Department of War's 2026 National Defense Strategy. Submitter's Note: This StratML rendition has been compiled from the source by ChatGPT and edited in the form at https://stratml.us/forms/Claude/Part1.html Department of War DoW 21db2188-6c69-4158-a266-934483902c7b Department responsible for providing military strength in service of restoring peace through strength and prioritizing the most consequential threats to Americans' interests. Donald J. Trump President whose National Security Strategy and direction frame the strategy. Pete Hegseth Secretary of War issuing and directing implementation of the strategy. Department of Homeland Security Partner department for border security and related homeland defense efforts. Congress Partner in resourcing defense investment and industrial revitalization. Joint Force Military force to be restored, rebuilt, modernized, and readied to deter and, if necessary, prevail against the most dangerous threats. Allies Partners Nations expected to increase defense contributions and assume greater responsibility in their own regions with more limited U.S. support. NATO Alliance framework through which European allies are expected to assume primary responsibility for conventional defense in Europe. Israel Regional partner to be strongly backed in deterring and defending against Iran and its proxies. Arabian Gulf partners Regional partners to be supported and further integrated with Israel, building on the Abraham Accords. South Korea Ally identified as capable of taking primary responsibility for deterring North Korea with more limited U.S. support. Canada Mexico North American partners with important roles in hemispheric defense, border security, and defense against air, missile, and undersea threats. A secure United States enjoying lasting peace through strength, protected at home, advantaged in the Indo-Pacific, supported by stronger allies and partners, and sustained by a revitalized defense industrial base. 0df4f620-a855-4230-bd53-b7c8c196f795 To prioritize and address the most consequential threats to Americans' security, freedom, and prosperity by defending the homeland, deterring aggression, rebuilding the Joint Force, strengthening allied burden-sharing, and restoring industrial capacity. 3569afb4-a853-454e-9c73-8dc60fd764da Peace Seek a decent and lasting peace compatible with Americans' security, freedom, and prosperity. Strength Negotiate and deter from positions of military strength. Realism Evaluate, sort, and prioritize threats in practical ways consistent with American interests. Deterrence Make aggression fail or appear not worth attempting by maintaining credible military power and denial defenses. Accountability Expect allies and partners to do their part and focus cooperation on those who visibly contribute. Stewardship Act as responsible stewards of Americans' lives, money, and support. Homeland Defense Prioritize the defense of the homeland and America's interests throughout the Western Hemisphere. 8659ca18-6cfb-40c3-8ebc-13d171df8a7d 1 Defend the U.S. Homeland Borders Seal borders, repel forms of invasion, and support deportation of illegal aliens in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security. 2508702f-d0da-4da5-85c3-8ab65dda8eec 1.1 Secure Our Borders Narco-Terrorists Address threats deeper in the hemisphere by countering narco-terrorists and protecting access to key terrain. 2aa7571a-c4e1-4309-8e56-8167d795846f 1.2 Counter Narco-Terrorists in the Hemisphere America's Skies Develop and field air and missile defense and counter-unmanned-aerial capabilities needed to defend the homeland. 833017de-bb07-4786-91a0-20f2f7ae635a 1.3 Defend America's Skies with President Trump's Golden Dome for America and Other, Drone-Specific Measures Nuclear Forces Maintain a strong, secure, and effective nuclear arsenal adapted to the nation's overall and defense strategies. 01b57774-5d5d-4d4c-8741-f20347973e6f 1.4 Modernize and Adapt U.S. Nuclear Forces Cyber Threats Bolster cyber defenses for U.S. military and certain civilian targets and develop options to deter or degrade cyber threats to the homeland. a985c3ec-baad-4957-ba59-157344f2eb2b 1.5 Deter and Defend Against Cyber Threats Islamic Terrorists Maintain a resource-sustainable counterterrorism approach focused on organizations capable of and intent on striking the U.S. homeland. 43097c2d-0819-4892-bb4e-ec17c48d6aea 1.6 Counter Islamic Terrorists Monroe Doctrine Restore American military dominance in the Western Hemisphere to protect the homeland, secure access to key terrain, and deny adversaries threatening capabilities in the hemisphere. b3b749f7-1717-43c2-909d-ba2a2c95219e 1.7 Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine China & the Indo-Pacific Support strategic stability and de-escalation while maintaining the military strength needed to deter aggression and preserve a favorable balance of power in the Indo-Pacific. b12b7d2c-23aa-4750-ba00-947200b13810 2 Deter China in the Indo-Pacific Through Strength, Not Confrontation Communications Engage PLA counterparts through wider formats to support strategic stability, deconfliction, and de-escalation. 379bbf16-8a78-4b19-836b-d1fb83133e57 2.1 Denial Defense Build, posture, and sustain a strong denial defense along the First Island Chain. eeab64bf-23f8-49cf-b08e-d8f215bbcb2b 2.2 Allies & Partners Incentivize and enable allies and partners in the region to contribute more to collective defense, especially to an effective denial defense. 5c7fcff5-8b79-40d8-859d-13198ad81991 2.3 Balance of Power Set military conditions for a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific that prevents domination and allows a decent peace. 2de97298-420b-4522-b604-9f2dc6a98de4 2.4 Flexibility & Agility Ensure the Joint Force can conduct devastating strikes and operations against targets anywhere in the world, including directly from the U.S. homeland. db2d8222-d41b-412e-af00-5e7afec39c26 2.5 Burden Sharing Press and enable allies and partners to take primary responsibility for defending against lesser threats in their regions, with critical but more limited U.S. support. de119264-beb9-44be-9975-d60e5bedc7d3 3 Increase Burden-Sharing with U.S. Allies and Partners Western Hemisphere Work with Canada, Mexico, and other hemispheric partners to strengthen border security, combat illegal migration and narco-terrorists, and protect key terrain. c35d3772-059d-4218-93ac-6980065f9c3d 3.1 Europe Incentivize and enable NATO allies to take primary responsibility for Europe's conventional defense, deliver on defense spending pledges, and expand transatlantic industrial cooperation. 8faef244-9adf-4256-b99c-57541105a76f 3.2 Middle East Empower regional allies and partners to take primary responsibility for deterring and defending against Iran and its proxies while supporting integration building on the Abraham Accords. 4a498714-814f-48e2-9897-607ed9416265 3.3 Africa Prevent Islamic terrorists from using regional safe havens to strike the U.S. homeland while empowering allies and partners to degrade and destroy other terrorist organizations. b694f734-2c9c-4151-8c3d-89365909ce62 3.4 Korean Peninsula Shift greater deterrence responsibility to South Korea with more limited U.S. support and update U.S. force posture accordingly. a400a910-2f3d-4baa-b329-70464df08f79 3.5 Accountability Incentives Prioritize cooperation, arms sales, industrial collaboration, intelligence-sharing, and other activities with model allies that visibly spend and do more against threats in their regions. 2a76ae54-342a-4828-8b22-8063fd1a3f9f 3.6 Defense Industrial Base Mobilize, renew, secure, and expand the defense industrial base so it can equip U.S. forces and support allies and partners at scale, rapidly, and with high quality. eff83ff6-410d-4279-849c-096145b45d61 4 Supercharge the U.S. Defense Industrial Base Mobilization Undertake a national mobilization and industrial revival sufficient to rebuild and adapt the defense industrial base for current and future challenges. 646e484d-d2b5-41f1-b525-563fc0fd7729 4.1 Capacity & Production Reinvest in defense production and build out the capacity needed to produce weapons, equipment, transportation, and distribution capability at scale. 376eadb7-31c8-4a8d-8c14-29b504de5352 4.2 Innovation & Technology Empower innovators and adopt technological advances, including artificial intelligence, to improve defense production and warfighting advantage. 70dc41f3-7a37-4cee-b51b-57f9284aac59 4.3 Policies, Practices & Regulations Clear away outdated policies, practices, regulations, and other obstacles that impede the type and scale of production the Joint Force requires. ba19ae8c-f79a-4985-94cd-c8a6e6eb04e9 4.4 Capabilities, Vendors & Partners Bolster organic sustainment capabilities, grow nontraditional vendors, and partner with traditional vendors to improve readiness, lethality, range, survivability, and resupply. 06e222eb-94ae-46d3-813c-e91df3503b62 4.5 Industrial Capacity & Collective Defense Work with Congress, allies, partners, and other federal departments and agencies to restore industrial capacity and support collective defense. 4a728ecd-5179-4de3-9582-b21d1b457080 4.6 2026-03-18 https://media.defense.gov/2026/Jan/23/2003864773/-1/-1/0/2026-NATIONAL-DEFENSE-STRATEGY.PDF Owen Ambur Owen.Ambur@verizon.net