1、1ATLANTIC COUNCILJuly 2025Shaping US defense in a time of evolving global threatsWho is the biggest threat to the United Statesand what should the military do about it?Where should the United States position its forces around the world?How should the US military adapt to the age of artificial intell
2、igence(AI)and the weaponiza-tion of space?These are just some of the questions that must be addressed in the next National Defense Strategy(NDS),the foundational document through which any new administration articulates its vision for US defense policy.Published by the De-partment of Defense(DoD),it
3、 establishes the principles that guide US military force design,capability development,global pos-ture,operational planning,and resource al-location.The second Trump administrations forthco-ming effort is no ordinary NDS.It will define the DoDs defense posture,US force struc-ture,and modernization p
4、riorities for the next four years in a period of intensifying strategic competition,rapid technological disruption,and evolving global threats.In March 2025,Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued a classified interim strate-gic guidance on national defense,signaling the administrations initial def
