Pentagon shifts focus away from China in new defense strategy

Main Idea: The Pentagon’s new defense strategy shifts the top focus to the homeland and the Western Hemisphere, while still treating China as a major threat.

Key Points:

• The 2026 National Defense Strategy says protecting the U.S. homeland is now the military’s main job.
• The report puts more weight on border security, narcotics, and keeping access to key places in the Western Hemisphere.
• China is still a top concern, but the document says the U.S. should deter it through strength, not direct confrontation.
• The strategy gives more emphasis to allies sharing the burden and says Russia is a manageable threat, not the main focus.