Pentagon Strategy Mandates European Self-Reliance and Prioritizes U.S. Homeland Defense

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The U.S. Department of War on Friday released its 2026 National Defense Strategy, a foundational document that asserts European nations taking primary responsibility for their own conventional defense is the essential answer to the security threats the continent faces. The strategy, which outlines a fundamental shift in American military posture, mandates that U.S. allies significantly increase their own defense spending while Washington pivots its primary focus to homeland security and the deterrence of China.

The 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS) serves as a blueprint for what the Trump administration describes as an era of "flexible, practical realism."

According to the document, while the United States will remain engaged in global affairs, it will no longer "subsidize" the defense of wealthy allies. Instead, the military will be focused on "fighting, winning, and thereby deterring the wars that really matter" to the American people.

The document establishes a new global standard for burden-sharing, requiring North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members and other partners to reach a defense spending target of 5% of their gross domestic product (GDP).

This figure includes 3.5% for core military spending and an additional 1.5% for security-related expenditures. As reported by Agence France-Presse (AFP), this marks a significant departure from past policies by emphasizing that allies must take on increased burdens with less backing from Washington.

The strategy document characterizes the previous reliance on American military support as a result of "irresponsible choices" by foreign leaders. "Our allies will do so not as a favor to us, but out of their own interests," the NDS states.

In Europe specifically, the strategy notes that non-U.S. NATO economic capacity far outpaces that of Russia—$26 trillion compared to $2 trillion—positioning those nations to lead their own conventional defense with "critical but more limited" American support.

Regarding the Indo-Pacific, the strategy seeks to maintain a favorable balance of power to prevent any single nation, particularly the People's Republic of China, from dominating the region. The Department of War intends to establish a "strong denial defense" along the First Island Chain (FIC).

However, the document adopts what AFP describes as a "softer tone" compared to the Biden administration, urging "respectful relations" and direct engagement with President Xi Jinping to achieve stable peace and fair trade. Notably, the AFP report points out that the new strategy makes no mention of Taiwan, an ally China claims as its territory.

Homeland defense is elevated to the military’s foremost priority, with a heavy emphasis on border security as a component of national security.

The NDS directs the Pentagon to prioritize efforts to "seal our borders, repel forms of invasion, and deport illegal aliens" in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security.

This focus is framed as a corrective measure against previous administrations which the document alleges "squandered" American military advantages on "rudderless" nation-building projects abroad.

The strategy also introduces the "Trump Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine," a policy aimed at restoring American military dominance in the Western Hemisphere.

The Pentagon intends to guarantee U.S. military and commercial access to key terrain, including the Panama Canal and Greenland.

AFP notes that since returning to office, President Trump has already employed the military in the region, including an operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife. The NDS cites Operation ABSOLUTE RESOLVE as a warning to "narco-terrorists" that they can no longer operate with impunity.

On the issue of Russia, the strategy describes the threat as "persistent but manageable," a shift from the Biden-era characterization of an "acute threat." The document asserts that Moscow is in no position to achieve European hegemony due to the overwhelming economic and latent military power of European NATO members.

The 2026 NDS provides a triumphant assessment of recent operations against Iran, claiming the Joint Force "obliterated" Iran’s nuclear program during Operation MIDNIGHT HAMMER.

It further states that Iran’s "Axis of Resistance," including Hezbollah and Hamas, has been "severely degraded" by Israeli operations supported by U.S. forces. According to the document, the Iranian regime is now "weaker and more vulnerable than it has been in decades."

To support this expansive global and domestic posture, the strategy calls for a "once-in-a-century" revival of the U.S. defense industrial base (DIB).

The document describes this effort as a "national mobilization" on par with the industrial buildups of the World Wars, intended to re-shore strategic industries and turn the United States back into the "world's premier arsenal."

The strategy concludes by characterizing the current period as a "new golden age" for the nation. It emphasizes that while the goal is peace, the Department of War remains ready to wield "the sharpest and most formidable sword" if U.S. interests are challenged.