US National Security Strategy: Reviving Monroe Doctrine, Limiting NATO
The Trump administration released its National Security Strategy Thursday, signaling a significant recalibration of U.S. foreign policy priorities with major implications for defense spending, NATO relationships, and global military posturing.
The strategy’s centerpiece is a revived ‘Monroe Doctrine’ approach to the Western Hemisphere. According to the 33-page document, the administration plans to “reassert and enforce the Monroe Doctrine to restore American preeminence in the Western Hemisphere, and to protect our homeland and our access to key geographies throughout the region.” Branded as the “Trump Corollary,” this approach explicitly aims to deny non-hemispheric competitors—a likely reference to China and Russia—the ability to position military forces or control strategically vital assets in the region.
The strategy prioritizes border security as “the primary element of national security,” declaring that “the era of mass migration is over.” This reflects the administration’s emphasis on leveraging regional partnerships to control migration flows, curtail drug trafficking, and strengthen hemispheric stability. Defense contractors should note increased funding opportunities in maritime operations and border security technologies.
Perhaps most notably, the strategy raises questions about U.S. commitment to Europe. The document warns of a “stark prospect of civilizational erasure” on the continent and explicitly calls for ending NATO expansion. It raises concerns that demographic changes in certain NATO members could alter their strategic alignment, stating: “Over the long term, it is more than plausible that within a few decades at the latest, certain NATO members will become majority non-European.” The strategy also emphasizes opposing what it characterizes as “elite-driven, anti-democratic restrictions on core liberties” in Europe.
Regarding the Indo-Pacific, while the strategy maintains that deterring aggression and preventing unilateral changes to Taiwan’s status quo remain priorities, it signals that regional allies must substantially increase defense spending and capabilities. This represents a potential shift in burden-sharing expectations.
Additionally, the strategy calls for increased diplomatic engagement with Russia to establish conditions for regional “strategic stability”—language that could reshape defense planning assumptions.
These policy shifts will be debated this weekend at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California, where Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to preview the forthcoming National Defense Strategy. Industry observers should prepare for significant strategic recalibration.
Source ID: SRCE-2025-1764936286221-1178