Pentagon to Propose Radical Strategic Shift Away From China to Focus on Domestic, Hemispheric Threats: Politico

U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby (R) was the lead architect of the new National Defense Strategy that was submitted to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (L) for review. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP)

The Pentagon’s top policy planners are proposing a dramatic strategic shift that would redirect the U.S. military’s primary focus from countering China and Russia globally to focusing instead on the U.S. homeland and projecting power throughout the Western Hemisphere, according to Politico.

Politico cited three sources that have seen a draft of the new U.S. National Defense Strategy (NDS) that is now awaiting approval from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and confirms that countering adversaries such as Beijing and Moscow have been downgraded as the top security priorities for the Pentagon.

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest news and analysis from Africa, Asia, and across the Global South.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China’s relations across the Global South.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.