This is an analysis of the new United States National Security Strategy (NSS) that dramatically shifts away from the previous decade’s focus on great power competition with China and Russia.
This new strategy prioritizes regional balances of power and explicitly emphasizes the Western Hemisphere and the Indo-Pacific, moving toward a worldview described as “realism without apology.” The shift has caused significant dismay and confusion among European allies, who feel rebuked and deprioritized, especially since the document appears to discourage NATO enlargement and question the shared cultural bond.
Conversely, the analysis notes that Russia has welcomed the NSS as a validation of its goals, interpreting the strategy as tolerance for spheres of influence and nationalist movements within Europe.
Finally, it highlights that the House of Representatives immediately acted to contain the NSS’s risks by legislating defense spending and troop posture to reassure allies, demonstrating an understanding that the administration’s strategic break creates significant uncertainty abroad.