1
N S
S
of the United States of America
DECEMBER 2017
I
My fellow Americans:
e American people elected me to make America great again. I promised that my Administration would
put the safe , interests, and well-being of our citizens fi rst. I pledged that we would revitalize the American
economy, rebuild our military, defend our borders, protect our sovereignty, and advance our values.
During my first year in office, you have witnessed my America First foreign policy in action. We are
prioritizing the interests of our citizens and protecting our sovereign rights as a nation. America is
leading again on the world stage. We are not hiding from the challenges we face. We are confronting
them head-on and pursuing opportu nities to promote the securi and prosper i of a ll America ns.
e United States faces an extraordinarily dangerous world, fi lled with a wide range of threats that have
intensified in recent years. When I came into office, rogue regimes were developing nuclear weapons
and missiles to threaten the entire planet. Radical Islamist terror groups were fl ourishing. Terrorists had
taken control of vast swaths of the Middle East. Rival powers were aggressively undermining American
interests around the globe. At home, porous borders and unenforced immigration laws had created a host
of vulnerabilities. Criminal cartels were bringing drugs and danger into our communities. Unfair trade
practices had weakened our economy and exported our jobs overseas. Unfair burden-sharing with our allies
and inadequate investment in our own defense had invited danger from those who wish us harm. Too many
Americans had lost trust in our government, faith in our future, and confidence in our values.
Nearly one year later, although serious challenges remain, we are charting a new and very di erent course.
We are rallying the world against the rogue regime in North Korea and confronting the danger posed
by the dictatorship in Iran, which those determined to pursue a flawed nuclear deal had neglected. We
have renewed our friendships in the Middle East and partnered with regional leaders to help drive out
terrorists and extremists, cut off their financing, and discredit their wicked ideology. We crushed
Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorists on the battlefields of Syria and Iraq, and will continue
pursuing them until they are destroyed. America’s allies are now contributing more to our common
defense, strengthening even our strongest alliances. We have also continued to make clear that the United
States will no longer tolerate economic aggression or unfair trading practices.
At home, we have restored confidence in America’s purpose. We have recommitted ourselves to
our founding principles and to the values that have made our families, communities, and society so
successful. Jobs are coming back and our economy is growing. We are making historic investments in
the United States military. We are enforcing our borders, building trade relationships based on fairness
and reciprocity, and defending America’s sovereignty without apology.
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON, DC
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
II
The whole world is lifted by America’s renewal and the reemergence of American leadership. After one
year, the world knows that America is prosperous, America is secure, and America is strong. We will bring
about the be er future we seek for our people and the world, by confronting the challenges and dangers
posed by those who seek to destabilize the world and threaten America’s people and interests.
My Administration’s National Security Strategy lays out a strategic vision for protecting the American
people and preserving our way of life, promoting our prosperity, preserving peace through strength,
and advancing American influence in the world. We will pursue this beautiful vision—a world
of strong, sovereign, and independent nations, each with its own cultures and dreams, thriving side-
by-side in prosperity, freedom, and peace—throughout the upcoming year.
In pursuit of that future, we will look at the world with clear eyes and fresh thinking. We will promote
a balance of power that favors the United States, our allies, and our partners. We will never lose sight of
our values and their capacity to inspire, uplift, and renew.
Most of all, we will serve the American people and uphold their right to a government that prioritizes
their security, their prosperity, and their interests. This National Security Strategy puts America First.
President Donald J. Trump
e White House
December 2017
V
T C
I .......................................................................................................................... 1
PILLAR I: P A P, H,
A W L
.................................................................................. 7
Secure U.S. Borders and Territory ................................................................................................................................................ 8
Defend Against Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) .................................................................................................... 8
Combat Biothreats and Pandemics .......................................................................................................................................... 9
Strengthen Border Control and Immigration Policy ........................................................................................................... 9
Pursue reats to eir Source
....................................................................................................................................................10
Defeat Jihadist Terrorists ..........................................................................................................................................................10
Dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations ............................................................................................................ 11
Keep America Safe in the Cyber Era
........................................................................................................................................ 12
Promote American Resilience .......................................................................................................................................................14
PILLAR II: P A P ..........................................................17
Rejuvenate the Domestic Economy ...........................................................................................................................................18
Promote Free, Fair, and Reciprocal Economic Relationships ................................................................................19
Lead in Research, Technology, Invention, and Innovation ..................................................................................... 20
Promote and Protect the U.S. National Securi Innovation Base ......................................................................21
Embrace Energy Dominance ........................................................................................................................................................ 22
PILLAR III: P P S ..............................................25
Renew America’s Competitive Advantages ........................................................................................................................ 26
Renew Capabilities ............................................................................................................................................................................... 28
Military ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 28
Defense Industrial Base ............................................................................................................................................................ 29
Nuclear Forces ............................................................................................................................................................................. 30
Space ...............................................................................................................................................................................................31
Cyberspace ....................................................................................................................................................................................31
Intelligence ................................................................................................................................................................................... 32
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
VI
Diplomacy and Statecraft ................................................................................................................................................................ 33
Competitive Diplomacy ............................................................................................................................................................ 33
Tools of Economic Diplomacy................................................................................................................................................. 34
Information Statecra .............................................................................................................................................................. 34
PILLAR IV: A A I ............................................................37
Encourage Aspiring Partners ....................................................................................................................................................... 38
Achieve Be er Outcomes in Multilateral Forums ......................................................................................................... 40
Champion American Values .......................................................................................................................................................... 41
T S R C ................................................................45
I n d o - P a c i fi c ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 45
Europe .............................................................................................................................................................................................................47
Middle East ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 48
South and Central Asia ...................................................................................................................................................................... 50
Western Hemisphere ...........................................................................................................................................................................51
Africa .............................................................................................................................................................................................................. 52
C ............................................................................................................................ 55
1
I
An America that is safe, prosperous, and free at home is an America with the
strength, confi dence, and will to lead abroad. It is an America that can pre-
serve peace, uphold liber , and create enduring advantages for the American
people. Pu ing America fi rst is the du of our government and the foun-
dation for U.S. leadership in the world.
A strong America is in the vital interests of not only the American people, but
also those around the world who want to partner with the United States in
pursuit of shared interests, values, and aspirations.
is National Securi Strategy puts America fi rst.
A
n America First National Security
Strategy is based on American prin-
ciples, a clear-eyed assessment of U.S.
interests, and a determination to tackle the chal-
lenges that we face. It is a strategy of principled
realism that is guided by outcomes, not ideology.
It is based upon the view that peace, securi , and
prosperity depend on strong, sovereign nations
that respect their citizens at home and cooper-
ate to advance peace abroad. And it is grounded
in the realization that American principles are
a lasting force for good in the world.
“We the People” is America’s source of strength.
e United States was born of a desire for life, lib-
erty, and the pursuit of happiness—and a convic-
tion that unaccountable political power is tyr-
anny. For these reasons, our Founders crafted and
ratified the Constitution, establishing the repub-
lican form of government we enjoy today. The
Constitution grants our national government not
only specified powers necessary to protect our
God-given rights and liberties but also safeguards
them by limiting the government’s size and scope,
separating Federal powers, and protecting the
rights of individuals through the rule of law. All
political power is ultimately delegated from, and
accountable to, the people.
We protect American sovereignty by defending
these institutions, traditions, and principles that
have allowed us to live in freedom, to build the nation
that we love. And we prize our national heritage, for
the rare and fragile institutions of republican gov-
ernment can only endure if they are sustained by a
culture that cherishes those institutions.
Liber and independence have given us the fl our-
ishing society Americans enjoy today—a vibrant
and confident Nation, welcoming of disagree-
ment and differences, but united by the bonds
of history, culture, beliefs, and principles that
define who we are.
We are proud of our roots and honor the wisdom of
the past. We are commi ed to protecting the rights
and digni of every citizen. And we are a nation of
laws, because the rule of law is the shield that pro-
tects the individual from government corruption
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
2
and abuse of power, allows families to live with-
out fear, and permits markets to thrive.
Our founding principles have made the United
States of America among the greatest forces for
good in history. But we are also aware that we
must protect and build upon our accomplish-
ments, always conscious of the fact that the inter-
ests of the American people constitute our true
North Star.
America’s achievements and standing in the world
were neither inevitable nor accidental. On many
occasions, Americans have had to compete with
adversarial forces to preserve and advance our
security, prosperity, and the principles we hold
dear. At home, we fought the Civil War to end slav-
ery and preserve our Union in the long strug-
gle to extend equal rights for all Americans. In
the course of the bloodiest century in human his-
tory, millions of Americans fought, and hun-
dreds of thousands lost their lives, to defend lib-
er in two World Wars and the Cold War. America,
with our allies and partners, defeated fascism,
imperialism, and Soviet communism and elimi-
nated any doubts about the power and durability
of republican democracy when it is sustained by
a free, proud, and unified people.
The United States consolidated its military
victories with political and economic triumphs
built on market economies and fair trade, dem-
ocratic principles, and shared security partner-
ships. American political, business, and military
leaders worked together with their counterparts
in Europe and Asia to shape the post-war order
through the United Nations, the Marshall Plan, the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and
other institutions designed to advance our shared
interests of securi , freedom, and peace. We recog-
nize the invaluable advantages that our strong rela-
tionships with allies and partners deliver.
Following the remarkable victory of free nations in
the Cold War, America emerged as the lone super-
power with enormous advantages and momen-
tum in the world. Success, however, bred com-
placency. A belief emerged, among many, that
American power would be unchallenged and self–
sustaining. The United States began to drift. We
experienced a crisis of confidence and surren-
dered our advantages in key areas. As we took
our political, economic, and military advan-
tages for granted, other actors steadily imple-
mented their long-term plans to challenge America
and to advance agendas opposed to the United
States, our allies, and our partners.
We stood by while countries exploited the interna-
tional institutions we helped to build. ey subsi-
dized their industries, forced technology transfers,
and distorted markets. These and other actions
challenged America’s economic securi . At home,
excessive regulations and high taxes stifl ed growth
and weakened free enterprise—history’s great-
est antidote to poverty. Each time government
encroached on the productive activities of private
commerce, it threatened not only our prosperity
but also the spirit of creation and innovation that
has been key to our national greatness.
A Competitive World
The United States will respond to the growing
political, economic, and military competitions we
face around the world.
China and Russia challenge American power, infl u-
ence, and interests, a empting to erode American
security and prosperity. They are determined to
make economies less free and less fair, to grow
their militaries, and to control information and
data to repress their societies and expand their
influence. At the same time, the dictatorships of
the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the
Islamic Republic of Iran are determined to desta-
bilize regions, threaten Americans and our allies,
and brutalize their own people. Transnational
3
INTRODUCTION
threat groups, from jihadist terrorists to transna-
tional criminal organizations, are actively trying
to harm Americans. While these challenges dif-
fer in nature and magnitude, they are fundamen-
tally contests between those who value human
dignity and freedom and those who oppress
individuals and enforce uniformity.
These competitions require the United States
to rethink the policies of the past two decades—poli-
cies based on the assumption that engagement with
rivals and their inclusion in international insti-
tutions and global commerce would turn them
into benign actors and trustworthy partners. For
the most part, this premise turned out to be false.
Rival actors use propaganda and other means to try
to discredit democracy. ey advance anti-Western
views and spread false information to create divi-
sions among ourselves, our allies, and our partners.
In addition, jihadist terrorists such as ISIS and
al-Qa’ida continue to spread a barbaric ideology
that calls for the violent destruction of governments
and innocents they consider to be apostates. ese
jihadist terrorists attempt to force those under
their influence to submit to Sharia law.
America’s military remains the strongest in the
world. However, U.S. advantages are shrinking
as rival states modernize and build up their con-
ventional and nuclear forces. Many actors can
now field a broad arsenal of advanced missiles,
including variants that can reach the American
homeland. Access to technology empowers and
emboldens otherwise weak states. North Korea—a
country that starves its own people—has spent
hundreds of millions of dollars on nuclear, chem-
ical, and biological weapons that could threaten
our homeland. In addition, many actors have
become skilled at operating below the thresh-
old of military conflict—challenging the United
States, our allies, and our partners with hostile
actions cloaked in deniabili . Our task is to ensure
that American military superiority endures, and
in combination with other elements of national
power, is ready to protect Americans against
sophisticated challenges to national security.
The contest over information accelerates these
political, economic, and military competitions.
Data, like energy, will shape U.S. economic prosper-
ity and our future strategic position in the world.
The ability to harness the power of data is fun-
damental to the continuing growth of America’s
economy, prevailing against hostile ideologies,
and building and deploying the most effective
military in the world.
We learned the di cult lesson that when America
does not lead, malign actors fi ll the void to the dis-
advantage of the United States. When America
does lead, however, from a position of strength
and confi dence and in accordance with our inter-
ests and values, all benefi t.
Competition does not always mean hostility, nor
does it inevitably lead to conflictalthough none
should doubt our commitment to defend our inter-
ests. An America that successfully competes is the
best way to prevent confl ict. Just as American weak-
ness invites challenge, American strength and con-
fidence deters war and promotes peace.
An America First
National Securi Strategy
The competitions and rivalries facing the United
States are not passing trends or momentary prob-
lems. They are intertwined, long-term challenges
that demand our sustained national a ention and
commitment.
America possesses unmatched political, eco-
nomic, military, and technological advantages.
But to maintain these advantages, build upon our
strengths, and unleash the talents of the American
people, we must protect four vital national inter-
ests in this competitive world.
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
4
First, our fundamental responsibility is to
protect the American people, the homeland,
and the American way of life. We will strengthen
control of our borders and reform our immigra-
tion system. We will protect our critical infrastruc-
ture and go after malicious cyber actors. A layered
missile defense system will defend our homeland
against missile a acks. And we will pursue threats
to their source, so that jihadist terrorists are
stopped before they ever reach our borders.
Second, we will promote American prosperity.
We will rejuvenate the American economy for
the benefit of American workers and companies.
We will insist upon fair and reciprocal economic
relationships to address trade imbalances. The
United States must preserve our lead in research
and technology and protect our economy from
competitors who unfairly acquire our intellec-
tual property. And we will embrace America’s
energy dominance because unleashing abundant
energy resources stimulates our economy.
Third, we will preserve peace through strength
by rebuilding our military so that it remains pre-
eminent, deters our adversaries, and if necessary,
is able to fight and win. We will compete with all
tools of national power to ensure that regions of
the world are not dominated by one power. We
will strengthen America’s capabilities—includ-
ing in space and cyberspace—and revitalize oth-
ers that have been neglected. Allies and partners
magnify our power. We expect them to shoul-
der a fair share of the burden of responsibil-
ity to protect against common threats.
Fourth, we will advance American influence
because a world that supports American inter-
ests and reflects our values makes America more
secure and prosperous. We will compete and lead
in multilateral organizations so that American
interests and principles are protected. America’s
commitment to liber , democracy, and the rule of
law serves as an inspiration for those living under
ranny. We can play a catalytic role in promoting
private-sector-led economic growth, helping aspir-
ing partners become future trading and security
partners. And we will remain a generous nation,
even as we expect others to share responsibili .
Strengthening our sovereignty—the first duty of
a government is to serve the interests of its own
people—is a necessary condition for protecting
these four national interests. And as we strengthen
our sovereignty we will renew confidence in our-
selves as a nation. We are proud of our history,
optimistic about America’s future, and confident
of the positive example the United States o ers to
the world. We are also realistic and understand
that the American way of life cannot be imposed
upon others, nor is it the inevitable culmination
of progress. Together with our allies, partners,
and aspiring partners, the United States will pur-
sue cooperation with reciprocity. Cooperation
means sharing responsibilities and burdens.
In trade, fair and reciprocal relationships ben-
efit all with equal levels of market access and
opportunities for economic growth. An America
First National Security Strategy appreciates that
America will catalyze conditions to unleash eco-
nomic success for America and the world.
In the United States, free men and women have
created the most just and prosperous nation in
history. Our generation of Americans is now
charged with preserving and defending that
precious inheritance. This National Security
Strategy shows the way.
7
PILLAR I
P A P,
H,
A W L
“We will defend our country, protect our communities,
and put the safe of the American people fi rst.”
PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP | J U LY 2 0 1 7
T
his National Security Strategy begins
with the determination to protect the
American people, the American way
of life, and American interests. Americans have
long recognized the benefi ts of an interconnected
world, where information and commerce flow
freely. Engaging with the world, however, does
not mean the United States should abandon its
rights and duties as a sovereign state or compro-
mise its security. Openness also imposes costs,
since adversaries exploit our free and demo-
cratic system to harm the United States.
North Korea seeks the capabili to kill millions of
Americans with nuclear weapons. Iran supports
terrorist groups and openly calls for our destruc-
tion. Jihadist terrorist organizations such as ISIS
and al-Qa’ida are determined to a ack the United
States and radicalize Americans with their hate-
ful ideology. Non-state actors undermine social
order through drug and human trafficking net-
works, which they use to commit violent crimes
and kill thousands of American each year.
Adversaries target sources of American strength,
including our democratic system and our econ-
omy. They steal and exploit our intellectual prop-
erty and personal data, interfere in our political
processes, target our aviation and maritime sec-
tors, and hold our critical infrastructure at risk.
All of these actions threaten the foundations of
the American way of life. Reestablishing lawful
control of our borders is a first step toward pro-
tecting the American homeland and strengthen-
ing American sovereignty.
We must prevent nuclear, chemical, radiological,
and biological a acks, block terrorists from reach-
ing our homeland, reduce drug and human traf-
ficking, and protect our critical infrastructure.
We must also deter, disrupt, and defeat poten-
tial threats before they reach the United States.
We will target jihadist terrorists and transna-
tional criminal organizations at their source and
dismantle their networks of support.
We must also take steps to respond quickly to meet
the needs of the American people in the event of
natural disaster or attack on our homeland. We
must build a culture of preparedness and resilience
across our governmental functions, critical infra-
structure, and economic and political systems.
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
8
Secure U.S. Borders
and Ter ritor y
State and non-state actors place the safety of the
American people and the Nation’s economic
vitality at risk by exploiting vulnerabilities
across the land, air, maritime, space, and cyber-
space domains. Adversaries constantly evolve
their methods to threaten the United States and
our citizens. We must be agile and adaptable.
Defend Against Weapons
of Mass Destruction (WMD)
e danger from hostile state and non-state actors
who are trying to acquire nuclear, chemical, radio-
logical, and biological weapons is
increasing. The Syrian regime’s
use of chemical weapons against
its own citizens undermines
international norms against
these heinous weapons, which
may encourage more actors to
pursue and use them. ISIS has
used chemical weapons in Iraq
and Syria. Terrorist groups con-
tinue to pursue WMD-related
materials. We would face grave
danger if terrorists obtained
inadequately secured nuclear,
radiological, or biological material.
As missiles grow in numbers, types, and effec-
tiveness, to include those with greater ranges,
they are the most likely means for states like
North Korea to use a nuclear weapon against
the United States. North Korea is also pursuing
chemical and biological weapons which could
also be delivered by missile. China and Russia
are developing advanced weapons and capabil-
ities that could threaten our critical infrastruc-
ture and our command and control architecture.
Priori Actions
ENHANCE MISSILE DEFENSE:
The United States
is deploying a layered missile defense system
focused on North Korea and Iran to defend our
homeland against missile attacks. This system
will include the ability to defeat missile threats
prior to launch. Enhanced missile defense is
not intended to undermine strategic stabil-
ity or disrupt longstanding strategic relation-
ships with Russia or China.
DETECT AND DISRUPT WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION:
At our borders and within our territory, we will
bolster efforts to detect nuclear, chemical, radio-
logical, and biological agents and keep them from
being used against us. We will also better inte-
grate intelligence, law enforce-
ment, and emergency manage-
ment operations to ensure that
frontline defenders have the
right information and capabili-
ties to respond to WMD threats
from state and non-state actors.
ENHANCE COUNTERPROLIFERATION
MEASURES:
Building on decades
of initiatives, we will aug-
ment measures to secure,
eliminate, and prevent the
spread of WMD and related
materials, their delivery sys-
tems, technologies, and knowledge to reduce
the chance that they might fall into the hands
of hostile actors. We will hold state and non-
state actors accountable for the use of WMD.
TARGET WMD TERRORISTS:
We will direct coun-
terterrorism operations against terrorist WMD
specialists, fi nanciers, administrators, and facilita-
tors. We will work with allies and partners to detect
and disrupt plots.
Strengthening control
over our borders and
immigration system is
central to national securi ,
economic prosperi , and
the rule of law.
9
PILLAR I: PROTECT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THE HOMELAND, AND THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE
Combat Biothreats and Pandemics
Biological incidents have the potential to cause
catastrophic loss of life. Biological threats to the
U.S. homeland—whether as the result of deliberate
a ack, accident, or a natural outbreak—are growing
and require actions to address them at their source.
Naturally emerging outbreaks of viruses such as
Ebola and SARS, as well as the deliberate 2001
anthrax attacks in the United States, demon-
strated the impact of biological threats on national
security by taking lives, generating economic
losses, and contributing to a loss of confidence in
government institutions.
Advancements in life sciences that benefit our
health, economy, and socie also open up new ave-
nues to actors who want to cause harm. Dedicated
state actors are likely to develop more advanced
bioweapons, and these capabilities may become
available to malicious non-state actors as well.
Priori Actions
DETECT AND CONTAIN BIOTHREATS AT THEIR SOURCE:
We will work with other countries to detect
and mitigate outbreaks early to prevent the
spread of disease. We will encourage other coun-
tries to invest in basic health care systems and
to strengthen global health security across the
intersection of human and animal health to pre-
vent infectious disease outbreaks. And we will
work with partners to ensure that laboratories
that handle dangerous pathogens have in place
safety and security measures.
SUPPORT BIOMEDICAL INNOVATION:
We will protect
and support advancements in biomedical inno-
vation by strengthening the intellectual prop-
erty system that is the foundation of the biomedi-
cal industry.
IMPROVE EMERGENCY RESPONSE:
At home, we will
strengthen our emergency response and uni-
fied coordination systems to rapidly character-
ize outbreaks, implement public health contain-
ment measures to limit the spread of disease,
and provide surge medical care—including
life-saving treatments.
Strengthen Border Control
and Immigration Policy
Strengthening control over our borders and
immigration system is central to national secu-
rity, economic prosperity, and the rule of law.
Terrorists, drug traffickers, and criminal car-
tels exploit porous borders and threaten U.S.
security and public safety. These actors adapt
quickly to outpace our defenses.
The United States affirms our sovereign right to
determine who should enter our country and
under what circumstances. The United States
understands the contributions immigrants have
made to our Nation throughout its history. Illegal
immigration, however, burdens the economy,
hurts American workers, presents public safety
risks, and enriches smugglers and other criminals.
e United States recognizes that decisions about
who to legally admit for residency, citizenship, or
otherwise are among the most important a coun-
try has to make. The United States will continue
to welcome lawful immigrants who do not pose
a security threat and whose entry is consistent
with the national interest, while at the same time
enhancing the screening and vetting of travelers,
closing dangerous loopholes, revising outdated
laws, and eliminating easily exploited vulnera-
bilities. We will also reform our current immi-
gration system, which, contrary to our national
interest and national securi , allows for random-
ized entry and extended-family chain migration.
Residency and citizenship determinations should
be based on individuals’ merits and their ability
to positively contribute to U.S. socie , rather than
chance or extended family connections.
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
10
Priori Actions
ENHANCE BORDER SECURITY:
We will secure our
borders through the construction of a bor-
der wall, the use of multilayered defenses and
advanced technology, the employment of addi-
tional personnel, and other measures. The U.S.
Government will work with foreign partners to
deter, detect, and disrupt suspicious individuals
well before they enter the United States.
ENHANCE VETTING:
The U.S. Government will
enhance vetting of prospective immigrants, ref-
ugees, and other foreign visitors to identify indi-
viduals who might pose a risk to national secu-
rity or public safety. We will set higher security
standards to ensure that we keep dangerous peo-
ple out of the United States and enhance our
information collection and analysis to identify
those who may already be within our borders.
ENFORCE IMMIGRATION LAWS:
We will enforce
immigration laws, both at the border and in the
interior, to provide an e ective deterrent to illegal
immigration. e apprehension and swift removal
of illegal aliens at the border is critical to an e ective
border security strategy. We must also increase
efforts to identify and counter fraud in the immi-
gration process, which undermines the integrity
of our immigration system, exploits vulnerable
individuals, and creates national security risks.
BOLSTER TRANSPORTATION SECURITY:
We will
improve information sharing across our gov-
ernment and with foreign partners to enhance
the security of the pathways through which peo-
ple and goods enter the country. We will invest in
technology to counter emerging threats to our avi-
ation, surface, and maritime transportation sec-
tors. We will also work with international and
industry partners to raise security standards.
P u r s u e r e a t s
to eir Source
There is no perfect defense against the range of
threats facing our homeland. That is why America
must, alongside allies and partners, stay on the
offensive against those violent non-state groups
that target the United States and our allies.
e primary transnational threats Americans face
are from jihadist terrorists and transnational crim-
inal organizations. Although their objectives di er,
these actors pose some common challenges. First,
they exploit our open society. Second, they often
operate in loose confederations and adapt rapidly.
ird, they rely on encrypted communication and
the dark web to evade detection as they plot, recruit,
fi nance, and execute their operations. Fourth, they
thrive under conditions of state weakness and prey
on the vulnerable as they accelerate the break-
down of rules to create havens from which to plan
and launch a acks on the United States, our allies,
and our partners. Fifth, some are sheltered and
supported by states and do their bidding.
Defeat Jihadist Terrorists
Jihadist terrorist organizations present the most
dangerous terrorist threat to the Nation. America,
alongside our allies and partners, is fi ghting a long
war against these fanatics who advance a totali-
tarian vision for a global Islamist caliphate that
justifies murder and slavery, promotes repres-
sion, and seeks to undermine the American way
of life. Jihadist terrorists use virtual and physical
networks around the world to radicalize isolated
individuals, exploit vulnerable populations, and
inspire and direct plots.
Even after the territorial defeat of ISIS and al-Qa’ida
in Syria and Iraq, the threat from jihadist terror-
ists will persist. ey have used ba lefi elds as test
beds of terror and have exported tools and tactics
to their followers. Many of these jihadist terror-
11
PILLAR I: PROTECT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THE HOMELAND, AND THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE
ists are likely to return to their home countries,
from which they can continue to plot and launch
a acks on the United States and our allies.
The United States also works with allies and
partners to deter and dis-
rupt other foreign terror-
ist groups that threaten
the homeland—includ-
ing Iranian-backed groups
such as Lebanese Hizballah.
Priori Actions
DISRUPT TERROR PLOTS:
We will
enhance intelligence shar-
ing domestically and with for-
eign partners. We will give
our frontline defenders—
including homeland secu-
rity, law enforcement, and intelligence profes-
sionals—the tools, authorities, and resources to
stop terrorist acts before they take place.
TAKE DIRECT ACTION:
The U.S. military and other
operating agencies will take direct action against
terrorist networks and pursue terrorists who
threaten the homeland and U.S. citizens regard-
less of where they are. e campaigns against ISIS
and al-Qa’ida and their a liates demonstrate that
the United States will enable partners and sus-
tain direct action campaigns to destroy terrorists
and their sources of support, making it harder for
them to plot against us.
ELIMINATE TERRORIST SAFE HAVENS:
Time and ter-
ritory allow jihadist terrorists to plot, so we will
act against sanctuaries and prevent their reemer-
gence, before they can threaten the U.S. home-
land. We will go after their digital networks and
work with private industry to confront the chal-
lenge of terrorists and criminals “going dark” and
using secure platforms to evade detection.
SEVER SOURCES OF STRENGTH:
We will disrupt the
fi nancial, materiel, and personnel supply chains of
terrorist organizations. We will sever their fi nanc-
ing and protect the U.S. and international fi nancial
systems from abuse. We will degrade their abili
to message and attract poten-
tial recruits. This includes
combating the evil ideology
of jihadists by exposing its
falsehoods, promoting count-
er-narratives, and amplify-
ing credible voices.
SHARE RESPONSIBILITY:
Our
allies and partners, who are
also targets of terrorism, will
continue to share responsi-
bility in fighting these bar-
baric groups. We will help our
partners develop and respon-
sibly employ the capacity to
degrade and maintain persistent pressure against
terrorists and will encourage partners to work
independently of U.S. assistance.
COMBAT RADICALIZATION AND RECRUITMENT IN
COMMUNITIES:
The United States rejects bigotry
and oppression and seeks a future built on our val-
ues as one American people. We will deny vio-
lent ideologies the space to take root by improving
trust among law enforcement, the private sector,
and American citizens. U.S. intelligence and home-
land security experts will work with law enforce-
ment and civic leaders on terrorism prevention and
provide accurate and actionable information about
radicalization in their communities.
Dismantle Transnational
Criminal Organizations
The United States must devote greater resources
to dismantle transnational criminal organiza-
tions (TCOs) and their subsidiary networks. Some
have established global supply chains that are
We will give our frontline
defenders—including homeland
securi , law enforcement, and
intelligence professionals—
the tools, authorities, and
resources to stop terrorist acts
before they take place.
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
12
comparable to Fortune 500 corporations. Every
day they deliver drugs to American communities,
fuel gang violence, and engage in cybercrime. e
illicit opioid epidemic, fed by drug cartels as well
as Chinese fentanyl traffickers, kills tens of thou-
sands of Americans each year. ese organizations
weaken our allies and partners too, by corrupting
and undermining democratic institutions. TCOs
are motivated by profi t, power, and political infl u-
ence. They exploit weak governance and enable
other national security threats, including terror-
ist organizations. In addition, some state adver-
saries use TCOs as instruments of national power,
offering them territorial sanctuary where they
are free to conduct unattributable cyber intru-
sions, sabotage, theft, and political subversion.
Priori Actions
IMPROVE STRATEGIC PLANNING AND INTELLIGENCE:
We will establish national-level strategic intelli-
gence and planning capabilities
to improve the ability of agen-
cies to work together to combat
TCOs at home and abroad.
DEFEND COMMUNITIES:
We will
deny TCOs the ability to harm
Americans. We will support
public health efforts to halt the
growth of illicit drug use in the
United States, expand national
and community-based preven-
tion efforts, increase access to
evidenced-based treatment for
addiction, improve prescrip-
tion drug monitoring, and provide training on
substance use disorders for medical personnel.
DEFEND IN DEPTH:
U.S. agencies and foreign
partners will target TCO leaders and their sup-
port infrastructure. We will assist countries, par-
ticularly in the Western Hemisphere, to break
the power of these organizations and networks.
COUNTER CYBER CRIMINALS:
We will use sophisti-
cated investigative tools to disrupt the ability of
criminals to use online marketplaces, crypto-
currencies, and other tools for illicit activities.
e United States will hold countries accountable
for harboring these criminals.
Keep America Safe
in the Cyber Era
America’s response to the challenges and oppor-
tunities of the cyber era will determine our future
prosperi and securi . For most of our history, the
United States has been able to protect the home-
land by controlling its land, air, space, and mari-
time domains. Today, cyberspace offers state and
non-state actors the ability to wage campaigns
against American political, economic, and secu-
rity interests without ever physically crossing
our borders. Cyberattacks offer adversaries low-
cost and deniable opportunities
to seriously damage or disrupt
critical infrastructure, cripple
American businesses, weaken
our Federal networks, and
attack the tools and devices that
Americans use every day to com-
municate and conduct business.
Critical infrastructure keeps our
food fresh, our houses warm,
our trade flowing, and our cit-
izens productive and safe. The
vulnerability of U.S. critical
infrastructure to cyber, phys-
ical, and electromagnetic attacks means that
adversaries could disrupt military command and
control, banking and fi nancial operations, the elec-
trical grid, and means of communication.
Federal networks also face threats. ese networks
allow government agencies to carry out vital func-
tions and provide services to the American peo-
America’s response
to the challenges and
opportunities of the cyber
era will determine
our future prosperi
a n d s e c u r i .
13
PILLAR I: PROTECT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THE HOMELAND, AND THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE
ple. The government must do a better job of pro-
tecting data to safeguard information and the
privacy of the American people. Our Federal net-
works must be modernized and updated.
In addition, the daily lives of most Americans rely
on computer-driven and interconnected technolo-
gies. As our reliance on computers and connectiv-
ity increases, we become increasingly vulnerable
to cyberattacks. Businesses and individuals must
be able to operate securely in cyberspace.
Security was not a major consideration when the
Internet was designed and launched. As it evolves,
the government and private sector must design
systems that incorporate prevention, protec-
tion, and resiliency from the start, not as an after-
thought. We must do so in a way that respects free
markets, private competition, and the limited but
important role of government in enforcing the
rule of law. As we build the next generation of dig-
ital infrastructure, we have an opportuni to put
our experience into practice.
The Internet is an American invention, and it
should reflect our values as it continues to trans-
form the future for all nations and all genera-
tions. A strong, defensible cyber infrastructure
fosters economic growth, protects our liberties,
and advances our national security.
Priori Actions
IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE RISK:
To improve the secu-
rity and resilience of our critical infrastruc-
ture, we will assess risk across six key areas:
national securi , energy and power, banking and
finance, health and safety, communications, and
transportation. We will assess where cyberat-
tacks could have catastrophic or cascading con-
sequences and prioritize our protective efforts,
capabilities, and defenses accordingly.
BUILD DEFENSIBLE GOVERNMENT NETWORKS:
We will
use the latest commercial capabilities, shared ser-
vices, and best practices to modernize our Federal
information technology. We will improve our abil-
i to provide uninterrupted and secure communi-
cations and services under all conditions.
DETER AND DISRUPT MALICIOUS CYBER ACTORS:
The Federal Government will ensure that those
charged with securing critical infrastructure have
the necessary authorities, information, and capa-
bilities to prevent attacks before they affect or
hold at risk U.S. critical infrastructure. e United
States will impose swift and costly consequences
on foreign governments, criminals, and other
actors who undertake signifi cant malicious cyber
activities. We will work with allies and friends to
expand our awareness of malicious activities. A
stronger and more resilient critical infrastructure
will strengthen deterrence by creating doubt in our
adversaries that they can achieve their objectives.
IMPROVE INFORMATION SHARING AND SENSING:
The U.S. Government will work with our critical
infrastructure partners to assess their informa-
tional needs and to reduce the barriers to informa-
tion sharing, such as speed and classification lev-
els. We will also invest in capabilities that improve
the ability of the United States to attribute cyber-
a acks. In accordance with the protection of civil
liberties and privacy, the U.S. Government will
expand collaboration with the private sector so that
we can be er detect and a ribute a acks.
DEPLOY LAYERED DEFENSES:
Since threats transit
globally, passing through communications back-
bones without challenge, the U.S. Government will
work with the private sector to remediate known
bad activities at the network level to improve
the security of all customers. Malicious activ-
ity must be defeated within a network and not be
passed on to its destination whenever possible.
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
14
Promote American
Resilience
Despite our best efforts, our government cannot
prevent all dangers to the American people. We
can, however, help Americans remain resilient in
the face of adversity. Resilience includes the abil-
ity to withstand and recover rapidly from delib-
erate attacks, accidents, natural disasters, as well
as unconventional stresses, shocks, and threats
to our economy and democratic system. In the
event of a disaster, Federal, state, and local agen-
cies must perform essential functions and have
plans in place to ensure the continuation of our
constitutional form of government.
Reducing risk and building more resilient com-
munities are the best ways to protect people, prop-
erty, and taxpayer dollars from loss and disrup-
tion. Through risk-informed investments, we will
build resilient communities and infrastructure
to protect and benefi t future generations.
Should tragedy strike, the U.S. Government will
help communities recover and rebuild. Citizens
must be confi dent in our government, but also rec-
ognize that response and recovery begins with
individuals and local communities. In difficult
times, the true character of the American peo-
ple emerges: their strength, their love, and their
resolve. Our fi rst responders selfl essly run toward
danger, and volunteers rally to the aid of neigh-
bors when disaster strikes.
A democracy is only as resilient as its people. An
informed and engaged citizenry is the fundamen-
tal requirement for a free and resilient nation. For
generations, our society has protected free press,
free speech, and free thought. Today, actors such
as Russia are using information tools in an a empt
to undermine the legitimacy of democracies.
Adversaries target media, political processes, fi nan-
cial networks, and personal data. The American
public and private sectors must recognize this and
work together to defend our way of life. No exter-
nal threat can be allowed to shake our shared
commitment to our values, undermine our sys-
tem of government, or divide our Nation.
Priori Actions
IMPROVE RISK MANAGEMENT:
The United States will
improve its ability to assess the threats and haz-
ards that pose the greatest risks to Americans
and will prioritize resources based on the high-
est risks.
BUILD A CULTURE OF PREPAREDNESS:
This Admin-
istration will take steps to build a culture of pre-
paredness, informing and empowering commu-
nities and individuals to obtain the skills and
take the preparatory actions necessary to become
more resilient against the threats and hazards
that Americans face.
IMPROVE PLANNING:
State and local governments
must conduct realistic exercises that test exist-
ing plans to make sure that they are sound and
can be executed. Agencies from all levels of gov-
ernment must coordinate be er and apply lessons
learned from exercises to pinpoint the areas and
capabilities that require improvement.
INCENTIVIZE INFORMATION SHARING:
To improve the
coordination among the private sector and all lev-
els of government that is needed to improve resil-
ience, we must make a stronger commitment to
protecting sensitive information so that all part-
ners actively identify and share vulnerabilities
and work collaboratively to reduce them.
17
PILLAR II
P A P
“Economic securi is national securi .”
PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP | NOVEMBER 2017
A
strong economy protects the American
people, supports our way of life, and sus-
tains American power. American work-
ers thrive when they are free to innovate, develop
and access our abundant natural resources, and
operate in markets free from excessive regula-
tions and unfair foreign trade practices. A grow-
ing and innovative economy allows the United
States to maintain the world’s most powerful mili-
tary and protect our homeland.
We must rebuild our economic strength and
restore confidence in the American economic
model. Over decades, American factories, com-
panies, and jobs moved overseas. After the 2008
global fi nancial crisis, doubt replaced confi dence.
Risk-aversion and regulations replaced investment
and entrepreneurship. e recovery produced ane-
mic growth in real earnings for American workers.
e U.S. trade defi cit grew as a result of several fac-
tors, including unfair trading practices.
For 70 years, the United States has embraced a
strategy premised on the belief that leadership
of a stable international economic system rooted
in American principles of reciprocity, free mar-
kets, and free trade served our economic and
security interests. Working with our allies and
partners, the United States led the creation of
a group of financial institutions and other eco-
nomic forums that established equitable rules
and built instruments to stabilize the interna-
tional economy and remove the points of friction
that had contributed to two world wars.
That economic system continues to serve our
interests, but it must be reformed to help American
workers prosper, protect our innovation,
and reflect the principles upon which that sys-
tem was founded. Trading partners and inter-
national institutions can do more to address
trade imbalances and adhere to and enforce the
rules of the order.
Today, American prosperity and security are
challenged by an economic competition play-
ing out in a broader strategic context. The United
States helped expand the liberal economic trad-
ing system to countries that did not share our val-
ues, in the hopes that these states would liber-
alize their economic and political practices and
provide commensurate benefits to the United
States. Experience shows that these countries dis-
torted and undermined key economic institu-
tions without undertaking significant reform of
their economies or politics. ey espouse free trade
rhetoric and exploit its benefits, but only adhere
selectively to the rules and agreements.
We welcome all economic relationships rooted in
fairness, reciproci , and faithful adherence to the
rules. ose who join this pursuit will be our clos-
est economic partners. But the United States will
no longer turn a blind eye to violations, cheating,
or economic aggression. We must work with like-
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
18
minded allies and partners to ensure our princi-
ples prevail and the rules are enforced so that our
economies prosper.
The United States will pursue
an economic strategy that reju-
venates the domestic economy,
benefits the American worker,
revitalizes the U.S. manufactur-
ing base, creates middle-class
jobs, encourages innovation, pre-
serves technological advantage,
safeguards the environment,
and achieves energy dominance.
Rebuilding economic strength
at home and preserving a fair
and reciprocal international
economic system will enhance
our security and advance pros-
perity and peace in the world.
Rejuvenate the
Domestic Economy
Economic challenges at home demand that we
understand economic prosperity as a pillar of
national security. Despite low unemployment
rates and stock market gains, overall economic
growth has, until recently, been anemic since
the 2008 recession. In the past five years, gross
domestic product (GDP) growth hovered barely
above two percent, and wages stagnated. Taxes
increased, and health insurance and prescrip-
tion drug costs continued to rise, albeit at a slower
pace. Education costs climbed at rates far above
inflation, increasing student debt. Productivity
growth fell to levels not seen in decades.
Signifi cant government intrusion in the economy
slowed growth and job creation. Regulatory and
corporate tax policies incentivized businesses to
invest overseas and disadvantaged American com-
panies against foreign competitors. Excessive reg-
ulation burdened small businesses. Banking regu-
lations squelched new bank formation and caused
hundreds of small banks to close. Regulation
decreased credit availability to
consumers and decreased prod-
uct choice. Excessive environ-
mental and infrastructure reg-
ulations impeded American
energy trade and the devel-
opment of new infrastruc-
ture projects.
Moreover, the poor state of our
physical infrastructure stulti-
fied the economy, reduced the
profitability of American small
businesses, and slowed the pro-
ductivity of American workers.
America’s digital infrastructure
also fell behind. Improvements
in bandwidth, better broadband connectiv-
ity, and protection from persistent cyberattacks
are needed to support America’s future growth.
Economic and personal transactions are depen-
dent upon the “.com world,” and wealth creation
depends on a reliable, secure Internet.
The Administration is dedicated to rejuvenat-
ing the U.S. economy, unleashing the potential of
all Americans, and restoring confidence in our
free market system. Promoting American pros-
perity makes America more secure and advances
American infl uence in the world.
Priori Actions
REDUCE REGULATORY BURDENS:
Departments and
agencies will eliminate unnecessary regulations
that stifl e growth, drive up costs for American busi-
nesses, impede research and development, dis-
courage hiring, and incentivize domestic busi-
nesses to move overseas. We will balance our
reduction in regulations with adequate protec-
tions and oversight.
Rebuilding economic
strength at home and
preserving a fair and
reciprocal international
economic system will
enhance our securi and
advance prosperi and
peace in the world.
19
PILLAR II: PROMOTE AMERICAN PROSPERITY
PROMOTE TAX REFORM:
This Administration will
work with the Congress to create a simpler, fairer,
and pro-growth tax code that encourages the
creation of higher wage jobs and gives middle-
income families tax relief. Reduced business
tax rates and a territorial system for foreign sub-
sidiary earnings will improve the competitive-
ness of American companies and encourage their
return to the United States.
IMPROVE AMERICAN INFRASTRUCTURE:
Federal, state,
and local governments will work together with pri-
vate industry to improve our airports, seaports
and waterways, roads and railways, transit sys-
tems, and telecommunications. e United States
will use our strategic advantage as a leading natu-
ral gas producer to transform transportation and
manufacturing. We will improve America’s digital
infrastructure by deploying a secure 5G Internet
capability nationwide. These improvements will
increase national competitiveness, benefi t the envi-
ronment, and improve our quali of life.
REDUCE THE DEBT THROUGH FISCAL
RESPONSIBILITY:
The national
debt, now over $20 trillion, pres-
ents a grave threat to America’s
long-term prosperity and, by
extension, our national securi .
By restraining Federal spending,
making government more effi-
cient, and by modernizing our
tax system and making our busi-
nesses globally competitive, our
economy will grow and make the
existing debt more serviceable.
SUPPORT EDUCATION AND
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS:
We will support apprenticeships and work-
force development programs that pre-
pare American workers for high-wage
manufacturing and science, technology, engi-
neering, and mathematics (STEM) jobs of the
21st century.
Promote Free, Fair,
and Reciprocal Economic
Relationships
For decades, the United States has allowed unfair
trading practices to grow. Other countries have
used dumping, discriminatory non-tariff barri-
ers, forced technology transfers, non-economic
capacity, industrial subsidies, and other support
from governments and state-owned enterprises to
gain economic advantages.
Today we must meet the challenge. We will address
persistent trade imbalances, break down trade
barriers, and provide Americans new opportuni-
ties to increase their exports. The United States
will expand trade that is fairer so that U.S. work-
ers and industries have more opportunities to
compete for business. We oppose closed mercan-
tilist trading blocks. By strengthening the inter-
national trading system and incentivizing other
countries to embrace mar-
ket-friendly policies, we can
enhance our prosperi .
e United States distinguishes
between economic competition
with countries that follow fair
and free market principles and
competition with those that act
with little regard for those prin-
ciples. We will compete with
like-minded states in the eco-
nomic domain—particularly
where trade imbalances exist—
while recognizing that compe-
tition is healthy when nations
share values and build fair and reciprocal rela-
tionships. The United States will pursue enforce-
ment actions when countries violate the rules
to gain unfair advantage. The United States will
engage industrialized democracies and other like-
minded states to defend against economic aggres-
e Administration is
dedicated to rejuvenating
the U.S. economy,
unleashing the potential
of all Americans, and
restoring confi dence in our
free market system.
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
20
sion, in all its forms, that threatens our com-
mon prosperity and security.
Priori Actions
ADOPT NEW TRADE AND INVESTMENT AGREEMENTS
AND MODERNIZE EXISTING ONES:
The United States
will pursue bilateral trade and investment agree-
ments with countries that commit to fair and recip-
rocal trade and will modernize existing agree-
ments to ensure they are consistent with those
principles. Agreements must adhere to high stan-
dards in intellectual property, digital trade, agri-
culture, labor, and the environment.
COUNTER UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES:
The United
States will counter all unfair trade practices that
distort markets using all appropriate means,
from dialogue to enforcement tools.
COUNTER FOREIGN CORRUPTION:
Using our eco-
nomic and diplomatic tools, the United States will
continue to target corrupt foreign officials and
work with countries to improve their ability to
fight corruption so U.S. companies can compete
fairly in transparent business climates.
WORK WITH LIKE-MINDED PARTNERS:
The United
States will work with like-minded partners to pre-
serve and modernize the rules of a fair and recip-
rocal economic order. Together we will emphasize
fair trade enforcement actions when necessary, as
well as multinational efforts to ensure transpar-
ency and adherence to international standards
within trade and investment projects.
FACILITATE NEW MARKET OPPORTUNITIES:
e U n i t e d
States will partner with countries as they build
their export markets, promote free market com-
petition, and incentivize private sector growth.
We will expand U.S. trade and investment oppor-
tunities and increase the market base for U.S.
goods and services.
Lead in Research, Technology,
Invention, and Innovation
The United States will build on the ingenuity
that has launched industries, created jobs, and
improved the quality of life at home and abroad.
To maintain our competitive advantage, the
United States will prioritize emerging technolo-
gies critical to economic growth and securi , such
as data science, encryption, autonomous tech-
nologies, gene editing, new materials, nanotech-
nology, advanced computing technologies, and
artificial intelligence. From self-driving cars to
autonomous weapons, the fi eld of artifi cial intelli-
gence, in particular, is progressing rapidly.
e United States must continue to a ract the inno-
vative and the inventive, the brilliant and the bold.
We will encourage scientists in government, aca-
demia, and the private sector to achieve advance-
ments across the full spectrum of discovery, from
incremental improvements to game-changing
breakthroughs. We will nurture a healthy inno-
vation economy that collaborates with allies and
partners, improves STEM education, draws on an
advanced technical workforce, and invests in ear-
ly-stage research and development (R&D).
Priori Actions
UNDERSTAND WORLDWIDE SCIENCE AND TECH-
NOLOGY (S&T) TRENDS:
To retain U.S. advantages
over our competitors, U.S. Government agencies
must improve their understanding of worldwide
S&T trends and how they are likely to influence—
or undermine—American strategies and programs.
ATTRACT AND RETAIN INVENTORS AND INNOVATORS:
The U.S. Government must improve our collab-
oration with industry and academia and our
recruitment of technical talent. We will remove
barriers to the full use of talent across Federal
agencies, and increase incentives for hiring and
retaining Federal STEM employees. Initiatives
21
PILLAR II: PROMOTE AMERICAN PROSPERITY
will include rapid hiring, swift adjudication of
national security clearances, and offers of com-
petitive salaries. We must create easier paths
for the flow of scientists, engineers, and technol-
ogists into and out of public service.
LEVERAGE PRIVATE CAPITAL AND EXPERTISE TO BUILD
AND INNOVATE:
The U.S. Government will use pri-
vate sector technical expertise and R&D capabili-
ties more e ectively. Private industry owns many
of the technologies that the government relies
upon for critical national security missions. The
Department of Defense and other agencies will
establish strategic partnerships with U.S. compa-
nies to help align private sector R&D resources to
priority national security applications.
RAPIDLY FIELD INVENTIONS AND INNOVATIONS:
The
United States must regain the element of surprise
and field new technologies at the pace of mod-
ern industry. Government agencies must shift
from an archaic R&D process to an approach that
rewards rapid fielding and risk taking.
Promote and Protect
the U.S. National Securi
Innovation Base
America’s business climate and legal and regu-
latory systems encourage risk taking. We are a
nation of people who work hard, dream big, and
never give up. Not every country shares these
characteristics. Some instead steal or illicitly
acquire America’s hard-earned intellectual prop-
erty and proprietary information to compensate
for their own systemic weaknesses.
Every year, competitors such as China steal U.S.
intellectual property valued at hundreds of bil-
lions of dollars. Stealing proprietary technol-
ogy and early-stage ideas allows competitors to
unfairly tap into the innovation of free societ-
ies. Over the years, rivals have used sophisticated
means to weaken our businesses and our econ-
omy as facets of cyber-enabled economic war-
fare and other malicious activities. In addition to
these illegal means, some actors use largely legit-
imate, legal transfers and relationships to gain
access to fields, experts, and trusted foundries
that fill their capability gaps and erode America’s
long-term competitive advantages.
We must defend our National Securi Innovation
Base (NSIB) against competitors. The NSIB is
the American network of knowledge, capabili-
ties, and people—including academia, National
Laboratories, and the private sector—that turns
ideas into innovations, transforms discoveries
into successful commercial products and com-
panies, and protects and enhances the American
way of life. e genius of creative Americans, and
the free system that enables them, is critical to
American security and prosperity.
Protecting the NSIB requires a domestic and inter-
national response beyond the scope of any indi-
vidual company, industry, university, or govern-
ment agency. The landscape of innovation does
not divide neatly into sectors. Technologies that
are part of most weapon systems often originate
in diverse businesses as well as in universities and
colleges. Losing our innovation and technologi-
cal edge would have far-reaching negative implica-
tions for American prosperi and power.
Priori Actions
UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES:
e U.S. Government
will develop a capabili to integrate, monitor, and
better understand the national security implica-
tions of unfair industry trends and the actions of
our rivals. We will explore new ways to share this
information with the private sector and academia
so they be er understand their responsibilities in
curtailing activities that undercut America’s NSIB.
PROTECT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY:
e United States
will reduce the illicit appropriation of U.S. pub-
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
22
lic and private sector technology and technical
knowledge by hostile foreign competitors. While
maintaining an investor-friendly climate, this
Administration will work with the Congress to
strengthen the Commi ee on Foreign Investment
in the United States (CFIUS) to ensure it addresses
current and future national
securi risks. e United States
will prioritize counterintel-
ligence and law enforcement
activities to curtail intellectual
property theft by all sources
and will explore new legal and
regulatory mechanisms to pre-
vent and prosecute violations.
TIGHTEN VISA PROCEDURES:
The United States will review
visa procedures to reduce economic theft by
non-traditional intelligence collectors. We will
consider restrictions on foreign STEM stu-
dents from designated countries to ensure
that intellectual property is not transferred
to our competitors, while acknowledging the
importance of recruiting the most advanced tech-
nical workforce to the United States.
PROTECT DATA AND UNDERLYING INFRASTRUCTURE:
The United States will expand our focus beyond
protecting networks to protecting the data on
those networks so that it remains secure—both at
rest and in transit. To do this, the U.S. Government
will encourage practices across companies
and universities to defeat espionage and theft.
Embrace Energy Dominance
For the fi rst time in generations, the United States
will be an energy-dominant nation. Energy dom-
inance—America’s central position in the global
energy system as a leading producer, consumer, and
innovator—ensures that markets are free and U.S.
infrastructure is resilient and secure. It ensures
that access to energy is diversifi ed, and recognizes
the importance of environmental stewardship.
Access to domestic sources of clean, affordable,
and reliable energy underpins a prosperous,
secure, and powerful America for decades to come.
Unleashing these abundant
energy resources—coal, natural
gas, petroleum, renewables, and
nuclear—stimulates the econ-
omy and builds a foundation for
future growth. Our Nation must
take advantage of our wealth in
domestic resources and energy
efficiency to promote competi-
tiveness across our industries.
The United States also anchors
the North American energy sys-
tem, which is one of the most highly integrated in
the world. Our vibrant cross-border energy trade
and investment are vital for a robust and resilient
U.S. economy and energy market. We are com-
mitted to supporting energy initiatives that will
attract investments, safeguard the environment,
strengthen our energy security, and unlock the
enormous potential of our shared region.
Climate policies will continue to shape the global
energy system. U.S. leadership is indispensable
to countering an anti-growth energy agenda that
is detrimental to U.S. economic and energy secu-
ri interests. Given future global energy demand,
much of the developing world will require fossil
fuels, as well as other forms of energy, to power their
economies and lift their people out of pover . e
United States will continue to advance an approach
that balances energy security, economic develop-
ment, and environmental protection. The United
States will remain a global leader in reducing tradi-
tional pollution, as well as greenhouse gases, while
expanding our economy. is achievement, which
can serve as a model to other countries, fl ows from
innovation, technology breakthroughs, and energy
efficiency gains, not from onerous regulation.
For the fi rst time in
generations, the United
States will be an energy-
dominant nation.
23
PILLAR II: PROMOTE AMERICAN PROSPERITY
As a growing supplier of energy resources, technol-
ogies, and services around the world, the United
States will help our allies and partners become
more resilient against those that use energy to
coerce. America’s role as an energy exporter will
also require an assessment of our vulnerabilities
and a resilient American infrastructure.
Finally, the Nation’s long-term energy security
future rests with our people. We must invest in our
future by supporting innovation and R&D, includ-
ing through the National Laboratories.
Priori Actions
REDUCE BARRIERS:
e United States will promote
clean and safe development of our energy resources,
while limiting regulatory burdens that encum-
ber energy production and constrain economic
growth. We will streamline the Federal regula-
tory approval processes for energy infrastructure,
from pipeline and export terminals to container
shipments and gathering lines, while also ensuring
responsible environmental stewardship.
PROMOTE EXPORTS:
The United States will pro-
mote exports of our energy resources, technolo-
gies, and services, which helps our allies and part-
ners diversify their energy sources and brings
economic gains back home. We will expand our
export capaci through the continued support of
private sector development of coastal terminals,
allowing increased market access and a greater
competitive edge for U.S. industries.
ENSURE ENERGY SECURITY:
The United States will
work with allies and partners to protect global
energy infrastructure from cyber and physical
threats. The United States will support the diver-
sification of energy sources, supplies, and routes
at home and abroad. We will modernize our stra-
tegic petroleum stocks and encourage other
countries to develop their own—consistent with
their national energy security needs.
ATTAIN UNIVERSAL ENERGY ACCESS:
The United
States will seek to ensure universal access to
affordable, reliable energy, including highly effi-
cient fossil fuels, nuclear, and renewables, to
help reduce poverty, foster economic growth,
and promote prosperity.
FURTHER AMERICA’S TECHNOLOGICAL EDGE:
We will
improve America’s technological edge in energy,
including nuclear technology, next-generation
nuclear reactors, better batteries, advanced com-
puting, carbon-capture technologies, and opportu-
nities at the energy-water nexus. e United States
will continue to lead in innovative and efficient
energy technologies, recognizing the economic
and environmental benefi ts to end users.
25
PILLAR III
P P
T S
“As long as I am President, the servicemen and women who defend our
Nation will have the equipment, the resources, and the funding they need to
secure our homeland, to respond to our enemies quickly and decisively, and,
when necessary, to fi ght, to overpower, and to always, always, always win.”
PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP | DECEMBER 2017
A
central continuity in history is the con-
test for power. The present time period
is no different. Three main sets of chal-
lengers—the revisionist powers of China and
Russia, the rogue states of Iran and North Korea,
and transnational threat organizations, particu-
larly jihadist terrorist groups—are actively com-
peting against the United States and our allies
and partners. Although differing in nature and
magnitude, these rivals compete across politi-
cal, economic, and military arenas, and use tech-
nology and information to accelerate these con-
tests in order to shift regional balances of power
in their favor. These are fundamentally political
contests between those who favor repressive sys-
tems and those who favor free societies.
China and Russia want to shape a world antithetical
to U.S. values and interests. China seeks to displace
the United States in the Indo-Pacifi c region, expand
the reaches of its state-driven economic model,
and reorder the region in its favor. Russia seeks to
restore its great power status and establish spheres
of influence near its borders. The intentions of
both nations are not necessarily fi xed. e United
States stands ready to cooperate across areas of
mutual interest with both countries.
For decades, U.S. policy was rooted in the belief
that support for China’s rise and for its integra-
tion into the post-war international order would
liberalize China. Contrary to our hopes, China
expanded its power at the expense of the sov-
ereignty of others. China gathers and exploits
data on an unrivaled scale and spreads features
of its authoritarian system, including corrup-
tion and the use of surveillance. It is building the
most capable and well-funded military in the
world, after our own. Its nuclear arsenal is grow-
ing and diversi ing. Part of China’s military mod-
ernization and economic expansion is due to its
access to the U.S. innovation economy, includ-
ing America’s world-class universities.
Russia aims to weaken U.S. infl uence in the world
and divide us from our allies and partners. Russia
views the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO) and European Union (EU) as threats. Russia
is investing in new military capabilities, includ-
ing nuclear systems that remain the most signifi-
cant existential threat to the United States, and in
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
26
destabilizing cyber capabilities. rough modern-
ized forms of subversive tactics, Russia interferes
in the domestic political a airs of countries around
the world. The combination of Russian ambition
and growing military capabilities creates an unsta-
ble frontier in Eurasia, where the risk of conflict
due to Russian miscalculation is growing.
e scourge of the world today is a small group of
rogue regimes that violate all principles of free
and civilized states. The Iranian regime spon-
sors terrorism around the world. It is developing
more capable ballistic missiles and has the poten-
tial to resume its work on nuclear weapons that
could threaten the United States and our part-
ners. North Korea is ruled as a ruthless dictator-
ship without regard for human dignity. For more
than 25 years, it has pursued nuclear weapons
and ballistic missiles in defi ance of every commit-
ment it has made. Today, these missiles and weap-
ons threaten the United States and our allies. e
longer we ignore threats from countries deter-
mined to proliferate and develop weapons of mass
destruction, the worse such threats become, and
the fewer defensive options we have.
The United States continues to wage a long war
against jihadist terrorist groups such as ISIS and
al-Qa’ida. These groups are linked by a common
radical Islamist ideology that encourages vio-
lence against the United States and our partners
and produces misery for those under their control.
Although the United States and our partners have
infl icted defeats on ISIS and al-Qa’ida in Syria and
Iraq, these organizations maintain global reach
with established branches in strategic locations.
The threat from jihadist terrorists will persist,
even as we intensify efforts to prevent attacks on
Americans, our allies, and our partners.
Protecting American interests requires that we
compete continuously within and across these
contests, which are being played out in regions
around the world. The outcome of these con-
tests will influence the political, economic, and
military strength of the United States and our
allies and partners.
To prevail, we must integrate all elements of
America’s national power—political, economic, and
military. Our allies and partners must also con-
tribute the capabilities, and demonstrate the will,
to confront shared threats. Experience suggests
that the willingness of rivals to abandon or forgo
aggression depends on their perception of U.S.
strength and the vitali of our alliances.
The United States will seek areas of cooperation
with competitors from a position of strength, fore-
most by ensuring our military power is second
to none and fully integrated with our allies and
all of our instruments of power. A strong mili-
tary ensures that our diplomats are able to oper-
ate from a position of strength. In this way we can,
together with our allies and partners, deter and if
necessary, defeat aggression against U.S. interests
and increase the likelihood of managing competi-
tions without violent confl ict and preserving peace.
Renew America’s
Competitive Advantages
The United States must consider what is endur-
ing about the problems we face, and what is new.
The contests over influence are timeless. They
have existed in varying degrees and levels of inten-
sity, for millennia. Geopolitics is the interplay of
these contests across the globe. But some condi-
tions are new, and have changed how these com-
petitions are unfolding. We face simultaneous
threats from different actors across multiple are-
nas—all accelerated by technology. The United
States must develop new concepts and capabili-
ties to protect our homeland, advance our pros-
peri , and preserve peace.
27
Since the 1990s, the United States displayed a great
degree of strategic complacency. We assumed that
our military superiori was guaranteed and that
a democratic peace was inevitable. We believed
that liberal-democratic enlargement and inclu-
sion would fundamentally alter
the nature of international rela-
tions and that competition would
give way to peaceful cooperation.
Instead of building mili-
tary capacity, as threats to our
national security increased,
the United States dramatically
cut the size of our military to
the lowest levels since 1940.
Instead of developing import-
ant capabilities, the Joint Force
entered a nearly decade long
“procurement holiday” during
which the acquisition of new
weapon systems was severely
limited. The breakdown of the
Nation’s annual Federal budgeting process, exem-
plified by sequestration and repeated continu-
ing resolutions, further contributed to the ero-
sion of America’s military dominance during a
time of increasing threats.
Despite decades of efforts to reform the way that
the United States develops and procures new weap-
ons, our acquisition system remained sclerotic.
The Joint Force did not keep pace with emerg-
ing threats or technologies. We got less for our
defense dollars, shortchanging American tax-
payers and warfi ghters.
We also incorrectly believed that technology could
compensate for our reduced capaci —for the abil-
i to fi eld enough forces to prevail militarily, con-
solidate our gains, and achieve our desired polit-
ical ends. We convinced ourselves that all wars
would be fought and won quickly, from stand-off
distances and with minimal casualties.
In addition, after being dismissed as a phenom-
enon of an earlier century, great power competi-
tion returned. China and Russia began to reassert
their infl uence regionally and globally. Today, they
are fi elding military capabilities designed to deny
America access in times of cri-
sis and to contest our ability to
operate freely in critical com-
mercial zones during peacetime.
In short, they are contesting our
geopolitical advantages and try-
ing to change the international
order in their favor.
Moreover, deterrence today
is significantly more com-
plex to achieve than during the
Cold War. Adversaries stud-
ied the American way of war
and began investing in capabil-
ities that targeted our strengths
and sought to exploit perceived
weaknesses. The spread of accu-
rate and inexpensive weap-
ons and the use of cyber tools have allowed state
and non-state competitors to harm the United
States across various domains. Such capabili-
ties contest what was until recently U.S. domi-
nance across the land, air, maritime, space, and
cyberspace domains. They also enable adversar-
ies to a empt strategic a acks against the United
States—without resorting to nuclear weapons—in
ways that could cripple our economy and our abil-
i to deploy our military forces. Deterrence must
be extended across all of these domains and must
address all possible strategic attacks.
In addition, adversaries and competitors became
adept at operating below the threshold of open
military conflict and at the edges of interna-
tional law. Repressive, closed states and orga-
nizations, although brittle in many ways, are
often more agile and faster at integrating eco-
nomic, military, and especially informational
PILLAR III: PRESERVE PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH
e United States will seek
areas of cooperation with
competitors from a position
of strength, foremost by
ensuring our military
power is second to none
and fully integrated with
our allies and all of our
instruments of power.
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
28
means to achieve their goals. They are unencum-
bered by truth, by the rules and protections of pri-
vacy inherent in democracies, and by the law of
armed conflict. They employ sophisticated politi-
cal, economic, and military campaigns that com-
bine discrete actions. They are patient and con-
tent to accrue strategic gains over time—making
it harder for the United States and our allies to
respond. Such actions are calculated to achieve
maximum effect without provoking a direct mil-
itary response from the United States. And as
these incremental gains are realized, over time,
a new status quo emerges.
e United States must prepare for this pe of com-
petition. China, Russia, and other state and non-
state actors recognize that the United States often
views the world in binary terms, with states being
either “at peace” or “at war,” when it is actually an
arena of continuous competition. Our adversar-
ies will not fi ght us on our terms. We will raise our
competitive game to meet that challenge, to pro-
tect American interests, and to advance our values.
Our diplomatic, intelligence, military, and eco-
nomic agencies have not kept pace with the changes
in the character of competition. America’s mili-
tary must be prepared to operate across a full spec-
trum of confl ict, across multiple domains at once.
To meet these challenges we must also upgrade
our political and economic instruments to operate
across these environments.
Bureaucratic inertia is powerful. But so is the tal-
ent, creativity, and dedication of Americans. By
aligning our public and private sector efforts we
can field a Joint Force that is unmatched. New
advances in computing, autonomy, and manufac-
turing are already transforming the way we fi ght.
When coupled with the strength of our allies and
partners, this advantage grows. The future that
we face is ours to win or lose. History suggests
that Americans will rise to the occasion and that
we can shift trends back in favor of the United
States, our allies, and our partners.
Renew Capabilities
Given the new features of the geopolitical envi-
ronment, the United States must renew key capa-
bilities to address the challenges we face.
Military
U.S. military strength remains a vital compo-
nent of the competition for influence. The Joint
Force demonstrates U.S. resolve and commit-
ment and provides us with the ability to fight
and win across any plausible conflict that threat-
ens U.S. vital interests.
The United States must retain overmatch—
the combination of capabilities in sufficient
scale to prevent enemy success and to ensure
that America’s sons and daughters will never
be in a fair fight. Overmatch strengthens our
diplomacy and permits us to shape the inter-
national environment to protect our interests.
To retain military overmatch the United States
must restore our ability to produce innovative
capabilities, restore the readiness of our forces for
major war, and grow the size of the force so that it
is capable of operating at sufficient scale and for
ample duration to win across a range of scenarios.
We must convince adversaries that we can and
will defeat them—not just punish them if they
a ack the United States. We must ensure the abil-
ity to deter potential enemies by denial, convinc-
ing them that they cannot accomplish objectives
through the use of force or other forms of aggres-
sion. We need our allies to do the same—to modern-
ize, acquire necessary capabilities, improve read-
iness, expand the size of their forces, and affirm
the political will to win.
29
Priori Actions
MODERNIZATION:
Ensuring that the U.S. military
can defeat our adversaries requires weapon sys-
tems that clearly overmatch theirs in lethality.
Where possible, we must improve existing systems
to maximize returns on prior investments. In other
areas we should seek new capa-
bilities that create clear advan-
tages for our military while
posing costly dilemmas for our
adversaries. We must elimi-
nate bureaucratic impediments
to innovation and embrace less
expensive and time-intensive
commercial off-the-shelf solu-
tions. Departments and agen-
cies must work with industry to
experiment, prototype, and rap-
idly field new capabilities that
can be easily upgraded as new
technologies come online.
ACQUISITION:
The United States will pursue new
approaches to acquisition to make better deals
on behalf of the American people that avoid
cost overruns, eliminate bloated bureaucra-
cies, and stop unnecessary delays so that we can
put the right equipment into the hands of our
forces. We must harness innovative technolo-
gies that are being developed outside of the tradi-
tional defense industrial base.
CAPACITY:
The size of our force matters. To deter
conflict and, if deterrence fails, to win in war,
the Nation must be able to field forces capa-
ble of operating in sufficient scale and for ample
duration to defeat enemies, consolidate mili-
tary gains, and achieve sustainable outcomes
that protect the American people and our vital
interests. The United States must reverse recent
decisions to reduce the size of the Joint Force
and grow the force while modernizing and
ensuring readiness.
IMPROVE READINESS:
e United States must retain
a ready force that is capable of protecting the home-
land while defending U.S. interests. Readiness
requires a renewed focus on training, logistics,
and maintenance. We must be able to get to a the-
ater in time to shape events quickly. This will
require a resilient forward posture and agile
global mobility forces.
RETAIN A FULL-SPECTRUM FORCE:
The Joint Force must remain
capable of deterring and defeat-
ing the full range of threats to the
United States. The Department
of Defense must develop new
operational concepts and capa-
bilities to win without assured
dominance in air, maritime,
land, space, and cyberspace
domains, including against
those operating below the level
of conventional military con-
flict. We must sustain our competence in irregu-
lar warfare, which requires planning for a long-
term, rather than ad hoc, fight against terrorist
networks and other irregular threats.
Defense Industrial Base
A healthy defense industrial base is a critical ele-
ment of U.S. power and the National Security
Innovation Base. The ability of the military to
surge in response to an emergency depends on
our Nation’s ability to produce needed parts and
systems, healthy and secure supply chains, and a
skilled U.S. workforce. The erosion of American
manufacturing over the last two decades, how-
ever, has had a negative impact on these capa-
bilities and threatens to undermine the ability
of U.S. manufacturers to meet national security
requirements. Today, we rely on single domes-
tic sources for some products and foreign supply
chains for others, and we face the possibili of not
being able to produce specialized components for
PILLAR III: PRESERVE PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH
Support for a vibrant
domestic manufacturing
sector, a solid defense
industrial base, and
resilient supply chains
is a national priori .
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
30
the military at home. As America’s manufactur-
ing base has weakened, so too have critical work-
force skills ranging from industrial welding, to
high-technology skills for cybersecuri and aero-
space. Support for a vibrant domestic manufactur-
ing sector, a solid defense industrial base, and resil-
ient supply chains is a national priority.
Priori Actions
UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM:
We will evaluate the
strengths and weaknesses of our defense indus-
trial base, including the identification of materi-
als essential to national security, contingencies
that could affect supply chains, and technologies
that are likely to be critical for the future.
ENCOURAGE HOMELAND INVESTMENT:
The United
States will promote policies and incentives
that return key national security industries
to American shores. Where possible, the U.S.
Government will work with industry partners to
strengthen U.S. competitiveness in key technolo-
gies and manufacturing capabilities. In addition,
we will reform regulations and processes to facili-
tate the export of U.S. military equipment.
PROTECT AND GROW CRITICAL SKILLS:
The United
States must maintain and develop skilled trades
and high-technology skills through increased
support for technical college and apprentice-
ship programs. We will support STEM efforts,
at the Federal and state levels, and target national
security technology areas.
Nuclear Forces
Nuclear weapons have served a vital purpose in
America’s National Security Strategy for the past
70 years. They are the foundation of our strat-
egy to preserve peace and stability by deterring
aggression against the United States, our allies,
and our partners. While nuclear deterrence strat-
egies cannot prevent all conflict, they are essen-
tial to prevent nuclear a ack, non-nuclear strategic
attacks, and large-scale conventional aggression.
In addition, the extension of the U.S. nuclear deter-
rent to more than 30 allies and partners helps to
assure their security, and reduces their need to
possess their own nuclear capabilities.
Following the Cold War, the United States reduced
investments in our nuclear enterprise and reduced
the role of nuclear weapons in our strategy. Some
parts of America’s strategic nuclear Triad of bomb-
ers, sea-based missiles, and land-based missiles are
over 30 years old, and much of our nuclear infra-
structure dates to the World War II era. At the same
time, however, nuclear-armed adversaries have
expanded their arsenals and range of delivery sys-
tems. The United States must maintain the credi-
ble deterrence and assurance capabilities provided
by our nuclear Triad and by U.S. theater nuclear
capabilities deployed abroad. Significant invest-
ment is needed to maintain a U.S. nuclear arsenal
and infrastructure that is able to meet national
securi threats over the coming decades.
Priori Actions
SUSTAIN U.S. NUCLEAR WEAPONS:
The United States
will sustain a nuclear force structure that meets
our current needs and addresses unanticipated
risks. The United States does not need to match
the nuclear arsenals of other powers, but we must
sustain a stockpile that can deter adversaries,
assure allies and partners, and achieve U.S. objec-
tives if deterrence fails.
MODERNIZE U.S. NUCLEAR FORCES AND INFRA-
STRUCTURE:
We will modernize our nuclear enter-
prise to ensure that we have the scientific, engi-
neering, and manufacturing capabilities nec-
essary to retain an effective and safe nuclear
Triad and respond to future national secu-
rity threats. Modernization and sustainment
require investing in our aging command and
control system and maintaining and growing
31
the highly skilled workforce needed to develop,
manufacture, and deploy nuclear weapons.
MAINTAIN STABLE DETERRENCE:
To avoid miscalcu-
lation, the United States will conduct discussions
with other states to build predictable relation-
ships and reduce nuclear risks. We will consider
new arms control arrangements if they contribute
to strategic stability and if they are verifiable. We
will not allow adversaries to use threats of nuclear
escalation or other irresponsible nuclear behav-
iors to coerce the United States, our allies, and
our partners. Fear of escalation will not prevent
the United States from defending our vital inter-
ests and those of our allies and partners.
Space
The United States must maintain our leadership
and freedom of action in space. Communications
and fi nancial networks, military and intelligence
systems, weather monitoring, navigation, and
more have components in the space domain. As
U.S. dependence on space has increased, other
actors have gained access to space-based systems
and information. Governments and private sector
fi rms have the abili to launch satellites into space
at increasingly lower costs. e fusion of data from
imagery, communications, and geolocation ser-
vices allows motivated actors to access previously
unavailable information. is “democratization of
space” has an impact on military operations and
on America’s abili to prevail in confl ict.
Many countries are purchasing satellites to sup-
port their own strategic military activities. Others
believe that the abili to a ack space assets o ers
an asymmetric advantage and as a result, are pur-
suing a range of anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons.
The United States considers unfettered access to
and freedom to operate in space to be a vital inter-
est. Any harmful interference with or an attack
upon critical components of our space archi-
tecture that directly affects this vital U.S. inter-
est will be met with a deliberate response at a
time, place, manner, and domain of our choosing.
Priori Actions
ADVANCE SPACE AS A PRIORITY DOMAIN:
America’s
newly re-established National Space Council,
chaired by the Vice President, will review America’s
long-range space goals and develop a strategy that
integrates all space sectors to support innova-
tion and American leadership in space.
PROMOTE SPACE COMMERCE:
The United States will
simplify and update regulations for commer-
cial space activity to strengthen competitiveness.
As the U.S. Government partners with U.S. com-
mercial space capabilities to improve the resil-
iency of our space architecture, we will also con-
sider extending national security protections to
our private sector partners as needed.
MAINTAIN LEAD IN EXPLORATION:
To enable human
exploration across the solar system and to bring
back to Earth new knowledge and opportuni-
ties, we will increase public-private partnerships
and promote ventures beyond low Earth orbit
with allies and friends.
Cyberspace
Malicious state and non-state actors use cyberat-
tacks for extortion, information warfare, disinfor-
mation, and more. Such a acks have the capabili
to harm large numbers of people and institutions
with comparatively minimal investment and a
troubling degree of deniability. These attacks can
undermine faith and confidence in democratic
institutions and the global economic system.
Many countries now view cyber capabilities
as tools for projecting influence, and some use
cyber tools to protect and extend their autocratic
regimes. Cyberattacks have become a key feature
of modern conflict. The United States will deter,
PILLAR III: PRESERVE PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
32
defend, and when necessary defeat malicious
actors who use cyberspace capabilities against the
United States. When faced with the opportunity
to take action against malicious actors in cyber-
space, the United States will be risk informed, but
not risk averse, in considering our options.
Priori Actions
IMPROVE ATTRIBUTION, ACCOUNTABILITY, AND
RESPONSE:
We will invest in capabilities to sup-
port and improve our ability to attribute cyber-
attacks, to allow for rapid response.
ENHANCE CYBER TOOLS AND EXPERTISE:
We will
improve our cyber tools across the spectrum of
conflict to protect U.S. Government assets and
U.S. critical infrastructure, and to protect the
integrity of data and information. U.S. depart-
ments and agencies will recruit, train, and
retain a workforce capable of operating across
this spectrum of activity.
IMPROVE INTEGRATION AND AGILITY:
We will
improve the integration of authorities and pro-
cedures across the U.S. Government so that
cyber operations against adversaries can be
conducted as required. We will work with the
Congress to address the challenges that continue
to hinder timely intelligence and information
sharing, planning and operations, and the devel-
opment of necessary cyber tools.
Intelligence
America’s ability to identify and respond to geo-
strategic and regional shifts and their political, eco-
nomic, military, and securi implications requires
that the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) gather,
analyze, discern, and operationalize information.
In this information-dominant era, the IC must con-
tinuously pursue strategic intelligence to antic-
ipate geostrategic shifts, as well as shorter-term
intelligence so that the United States can respond
to the actions and provocations of rivals.
The ability of the United States to modernize
our military forces to overmatch our adversar-
ies requires intelligence support. Intelligence is
needed to understand and anticipate foreign doc-
trine and the intent of foreign leaders, prevent tac-
tical and operational surprise, and ensure that
U.S. capabilities are not compromised before
they are fielded. In addition, virtually all mod-
ern weapon systems depend upon data derived
from scientifi c and technical intelligence.
e IC, as well as the law enforcement communi ,
offer unique abilities to defend against and miti-
gate threat actors operating below the threshold of
open conflict. Both communities have exception-
ally strong liaison relationships throughout the
world, allowing the United States to cooperate with
allies and partners to protect against adversaries.
Priori Actions
IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING:
To prevent the theft of
sensitive and proprietary information and main-
tain supply chain integri , the United States must
increase our understanding of the economic pol-
icy priorities of our adversaries and improve
our ability to detect and defeat their attempts to
commit economic espionage.
HARNESS ALL INFORMATION AT OUR DISPOSAL:
The
United States will, in concert with allies and part-
ners, use the information-rich open-source envi-
ronment to deny the ability of state and non-state
actors to attack our citizens, conduct offensive
intelligence activities, and degrade America’s
democratic institutions.
FUSE INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS:
e United States
will fuse our analysis of information derived from
the diplomatic, information, military, and eco-
nomic domains to compete more effectively on
the geopolitical stage.
33
Diplomacy and Statecraft
Competitive Diplomacy
Across the competitive landscape, America’s dip-
lomats are our forward-deployed political capa-
bility, advancing and defending America’s inter-
ests abroad. Diplomacy catalyzes the political,
economic, and societal connections that create
America’s enduring alignments and that build
positive networks of rela-
tionships with partners.
Diplomacy sustains dia-
logue and fosters areas of
cooperation with compet-
itors. It reduces the risk of
costly miscommunication.
Diplomacy is indispens-
able to identify and imple-
ment solutions to con-
flicts in unstable regions
of the world short of mili-
tary involvement. It helps to
galvanize allies for action
and marshal the collective
resources of like-minded
nations and organiza-
tions to address shared problems. Authoritarian
states are eager to replace the United States
where the United States withdraws our diplo-
mats and closes our outposts.
We must upgrade our diplomatic capabili-
ties to compete in the current environment and
to embrace a competitive mindset. Effective
diplomacy requires the efficient use of limited
resources, a professional diplomatic corps, modern
and safe facilities, and secure methods to commu-
nicate and engage with local populations.
Priori Actions
PRESERVE A FORWARD DIPLOMATIC PRESENCE:
Our
diplomats must be able to build and sustain rela-
tionships where U.S. interests are at stake. Face-
to-face diplomacy cannot be replaced by tech-
nology. Relationships, developed over time,
create trust and shared understanding that the
United States calls upon when confronting secu-
rity threats, responding to crises, and encour-
aging others to share the
burden for tackling the
world’s challenges. We must
enable forward-deployed
field work beyond the con-
fines of diplomatic facilities,
including partnering with
military colleagues in con-
flict-affected states.
ADVANCE AMERICAN INTERESTS:
In the ongoing contests
for power, our diplomats
must build and lead coali-
tions that advance shared
interests and articulate
America’s vision in interna-
tional forums, in bilateral
relationships, and at local levels within states.
Our diplomats need additional flexibility to oper-
ate in complex conflict-affected areas.
CATALYZE OPPORTUNITIES:
Diplomats must iden-
tify opportunities for commerce and coop-
eration, and facilitate the cultural, educa-
tional, and people-to-people exchanges that
create the networks of current and future polit-
ical, civil society, and educational leaders who
will extend a free and prosperous world.
PILLAR III: PRESERVE PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH
Diplomacy is indispensable to
identi and implement solutions
to confl icts in unstable regions
of the world short of military
involvement. It helps to galvanize
allies for action and marshal the
collective resources of like-minded
nations and organizations
to address shared problems.
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
34
Tools of Economic Diplomacy
Retaining our position as the world’s preemi-
nent economic actor strengthens our ability to
use the tools of economic diplomacy for the good
of Americans and others. Maintaining America’s
central role in international financial forums
enhances our security and prosperity by expand-
ing a communi of free market economies, defend-
ing against threats from state-led economies, and
protecting the U.S. and international economy
from abuse by illicit actors.
We want to create wealth for Americans and our
allies and partners. Prosperous states are stron-
ger security partners who are able to share the
burden of confronting com-
mon threats. Fair and recip-
rocal trade, investments, and
exchanges of knowledge deepen
our alliances and partnerships,
which are necessary to succeed
in today’s competitive geopoliti-
cal environment. Trade, export
promotion, targeted use of for-
eign assistance, and modern-
ized development finance tools
can promote stability, prosper-
ity, and political reform, and
build new partnerships based
on the principle of reciprocity.
Economic tools—including sanctions, anti-mon-
ey-laundering and anti-corruption measures, and
enforcement actions—can be important parts of
broader strategies to deter, coerce, and constrain
adversaries. We will work with like-minded part-
ners to build support for tools of economic diplo-
macy against shared threats. Multilateral eco-
nomic pressure is often more effective because it
limits the ability of targeted states to circumvent
measures and conveys united resolve.
Priori Actions
REINFORCE ECONOMIC TIES WITH ALLIES AND
PARTNERS:
We will strengthen economic ties as a
core aspect of our relationships with like-minded
states and use our economic expertise, mar-
kets, and resources to bolster states threatened
by our competitors.
DEPLOY ECONOMIC PRESSURE ON SECURITY THREATS:
We will use existing and pursue new economic
authorities and mobilize international actors
to increase pressure on threats to peace and
security in order to resolve confrontations short
of military action.
SEVER SOURCES OF FUNDING:
We will deny reve-
nue to terrorists, WMD proliferators, and other
illicit actors in order to constrain
their ability to use and move
funds to support hostile acts
and operations.
Information Statecraft
America’s competitors weap-
onize information to attack the
values and institutions that
underpin free societies, while
shielding themselves from out-
side information. They exploit
marketing techniques to tar-
get individuals based upon
their activities, interests,
opinions, and values. They disseminate mis-
information and propaganda.
Risks to U.S. national security will grow as com-
petitors integrate information derived from per-
sonal and commercial sources with intelligence
collection and data analytic capabilities based
on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learn-
ing. Breaches of U.S. commercial and govern-
ment organizations also provide adversaries with
data and insights into their target audiences.
America's competitors
weaponize information
to a ack the values and
institutions that underpin
free societies, while
shielding themselves from
outside information.
35
PILLAR III: PRESERVE PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH
China, for example, combines data and the use of AI
to rate the loyal of its citizens to the state and uses
these ratings to determine jobs and more. Jihadist
terrorist groups continue to wage ideological infor-
mation campaigns to establish and legitimize their
narrative of hate, using sophisticated communica-
tions tools to a ract recruits and encourage a acks
against Americans and our partners.
Russia uses information operations as part of its
offensive cyber efforts to influence public opin-
ion across the globe. Its infl uence campaigns blend
covert intelligence operations and false online per-
sonas with state-funded media, third-party inter-
mediaries, and paid social media users or “trolls.”
U.S. e orts to counter the exploitation of informa-
tion by rivals have been tepid and fragmented. U.S.
e orts have lacked a sustained focus and have been
hampered by the lack of properly trained profes-
sionals. The American private sector has a direct
interest in supporting and amplifying voices
that stand for tolerance, openness, and freedom.
Priori Actions
PRIORITIZE THE COMPETITION:
We will improve
our understanding of how adversaries gain infor-
mational and psychological advantages across
all policies. The United States must empower
a true public diplomacy capability to compete
e ectively in this arena.
DRIVE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS:
We will craft
and direct coherent communications campaigns
to advance American infl uence and counter chal-
lenges from the ideological threats that ema-
nate from radical Islamist groups and competitor
nations. ese campaigns will adhere to American
values and expose adversary propaganda and
disinformation.
ACTIVATE LOCAL NETWORKS:
Local voices are most
compelling and effective in ideological competi-
tions. We must amplify credible voices and part-
ner with them to advance alternatives to violent
and hateful messages. Since media and Internet
companies are the platforms through which mes-
sages are transported, the private sector should
lend its creativity and resources to promot-
ing the values that inspire and grow a commu-
nity of civilized groups and individuals.
SHARE RESPONSIBILITY:
The United States will
urge states where radicalism thrives to take
greater responsibility for countering violent
messaging and promoting tolerant and pluralis-
tic worldviews.
UPGRADE, TAILOR, AND INNOVATE:
We w i l l
reexamine legacy delivery platforms for com-
municating U.S. messages overseas. We must
consider more cost-effective and efficient ways
to deliver and evaluate content consistent with
U.S. national security interests.
37
P I L L A R I V
A A I
“Above all, we value the digni of every human life,
protect the rights of every person, and share the hope of every soul
to live in freedom. at is who we are.”
PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP | J U LY 2 0 1 7
O
ur America First foreign policy cel-
ebrates America’s influence in the
world as a positive force that can help
set the conditions for peace and prosperity and
for developing successful societies.
ere is no arc of history that ensures that America’s
free political and economic system will automati-
cally prevail. Success or failure depends upon our
actions. This Administration has the confidence
to compete to protect our values and interests and
the fundamental principles that underpin them.
During the Cold War, a totalitarian threat from
the Soviet Union motivated the free world to cre-
ate coalitions in defense of liberty. Today’s chal-
lenges to free societies are just as serious, but
more diverse. State and non-state actors proj-
ect influence and advance their objectives by
exploiting information, democratic media free-
doms, and international institutions. Repressive
leaders often collaborate to subvert free societies
and corrupt multilateral organizations.
Around the world, nations and individuals admire
what America stands for. We treat people equally
and value and uphold the rule of law. We have
a democratic system that allows the best ideas
to flourish. We know how to grow economies so
that individuals can achieve prosperity. These
qualities have made America the richest coun-
try on earth—rich in culture, talent, opportuni-
ties, and material wealth.
e United States o ers partnership to those who
share our aspirations for freedom and prosperity.
We lead by example. “The world has its eye upon
America," Alexander Hamilton once observed. “ e
noble struggle we have made in the cause of liber ,
has occasioned a kind of revolution in human sen-
timent. The influence of our example has pene-
trated the gloomy regions of despotism.”
We are not going to impose our values on oth-
ers. Our alliances, partnerships, and coalitions
are built on free will and shared interests. When
the United States partners with other states, we
develop policies that enable us to achieve our
goals while our partners achieve theirs.
Allies and partners are a great strength of the
United States. They add directly to U.S. politi-
cal, economic, military, intelligence, and other
capabilities. Together, the United States and our
allies and partners represent well over half of
the global GDP. None of our adversaries have
comparable coalitions.
We encourage those who want to join our com-
munity of like-minded democratic states and
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
38
improve the condition of their peoples. By mod-
ernizing U.S. instruments of diplomacy and devel-
opment, we will catalyze conditions to help them
achieve that goal. ese aspiring partners include
states that are fragile, recovering from conflict,
and seeking a path forward to
sustainable security and eco-
nomic growth. Stable, prosper-
ous, and friendly states enhance
American security and boost
U.S. economic opportunities.
We will continue to cham-
pion American values and
offer encouragement to those
struggling for human dig-
nity in their societies. There
can be no moral equivalency
between nations that uphold the
rule of law, empower women,
and respect individual rights
and those that brutalize and suppress their peo-
ple. Through our words and deeds, America
demonstrates a positive alternative to political
and religious despotism.
Encourage Aspiring Partners
Some of the greatest triumphs of American state-
craft resulted from helping fragile and develop-
ing countries become successful societies. These
successes, in turn, created profitable markets for
American businesses, allies to help achieve favor-
able regional balances of power, and coalition part-
ners to share burdens and address a varie of prob-
lems around the world. Over time, the United States
has helped create a network of states that advance
our common interests and values.
is historical record is unprecedented and excep-
tional. American support to aspiring partners
enabled the recovery of the countries of Western
Europe under the Marshall Plan, as well as the
ongoing integration of Central and Eastern Europe
into Western institutions after the Cold War.
In Asia, the United States worked with South Korea
and Japan, countries ravaged by war, to help them
become successful democracies and among the
most prosperous economies
in the world.
These achievements were prod-
ucts of patient partnerships
with those who aspired to build
prosperous societies and join
the community of democratic
states. They resulted in mutu-
ally beneficial relationships in
which the United States helped
states mobilize their own
resources to achieve transitions
to growth and stabili . Working
with these countries made the
United States wealthier and
more competitive. This progress illustrates how
e ective foreign assistance programs should reach
their natural endpoint.
Today, the United States must compete for positive
relationships around the world. China and Russia
target their investments in the developing world to
expand infl uence and gain competitive advantages
against the United States. China is investing bil-
lions of dollars in infrastructure across the globe.
Russia, too, projects its influence economically,
through the control of key energy and other infra-
structure throughout parts of Europe and Central
Asia. e United States provides an alternative to
state-directed investments, which often leave devel-
oping countries worse off. The United States pur-
sues economic ties not only for market access but
also to create enduring relationships to advance
common political and security interests.
The United States will promote a development
model that partners with countries that want prog-
ress, consistent with their culture, based on free
market principles, fair and reciprocal trade, private
ere is no arc of history
that ensures that America’s
free political and economic
system will automatically
prevail. Success or failure
depends upon our actions.
39
PILLAR IV: ADVANCE AMERICAN INFLUENCE
sector activity, and rule of law. The United States
will shift away from a reliance on assistance based
on grants to approaches that a ract private capital
and catalyze private sector activi . We will empha-
size reforms that unlock the economic potential of
citizens, such as the promotion of formal proper
rights, entrepreneurial reforms, and infrastruc-
ture improvements—projects that help people earn
their livelihood and have the added benefi t of help-
ing U.S. businesses. By mobilizing both public and
private resources, the United States can help maxi-
mize returns and outcomes and reduce the burden
on U.S. Government resources. Unlike the state-di-
rected mercantilism of some competitors that
can disadvantage recipient nations and promote
dependency, the purpose of U.S. foreign assistance
should be to end the need for it. e United States
seeks strong partners, not weak ones.
U.S. development assistance must support
America’s national interests. We will prioritize col-
laboration with aspiring partners that are aligned
with U.S. interests. We will focus on development
investments where we can have the most impact—
where local reformers are committed to tackling
their economic and political challenges.
Within this framework, the United States will
also assist fragile states to prevent threats to the
U.S. homeland. Transnational threat organiza-
tions, such as jihadist terrorists and organized
crime, often operate freely from fragile states
and undermine sovereign governments. Failing
states can destabilize entire regions.
Across Africa, Latin America, and Asia, states are
eager for investments and financing to develop
their infrastructure and propel growth. The
United States and its partners have opportuni-
ties to work with countries to help them real-
ize their potential as prosperous and sovereign
states that are accountable to their people. Such
states can become trading partners that buy more
American-made goods and create more predict-
able business environments that benefi t American
companies. American-led investments represent
the most sustainable and responsible approach
to development and offer a stark contrast to
the corrupt, opaque, exploitive, and low-qual-
ity deals offered by authoritarian states.
Priori Actions:
Developing Countries
MOBILIZE RESOURCES:
The United States will
modernize its development finance tools so that
U.S. companies have incentives to capitalize on
opportunities in developing countries. With
these changes, the United States will not be left
behind as other states use investment and proj-
ect finance to extend their influence. In addi-
tion, the U.S. Government must not be an obsta-
cle to U.S. companies that want to conduct
business in the developing world.
CAPITALIZE ON NEW TECHNOLOGIES:
We will incor-
porate innovative technologies in our diplo-
matic and development programs. For exam-
ple, digital technologies enable millions to access
financial services through their cell phones and
can connect farmers to markets. Such technol-
ogies can reduce corruption, increase trans-
parency, and help ensure that money reaches
its intended destination.
INCENTIVIZE REFORMS:
The United States will use
diplomacy and assistance to encourage states to
make choices that improve governance, rule of
law, and sustainable development. We already
do this through the Millennium Challenge
Corporation, which selects countries that are
committed to reform and then monitors and
evaluates their projects.
Priori Actions: Fragile States
COMMIT SELECTIVELY:
We will give priority to
strengthening states where state weaknesses or
failure would magnify threats to the American
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
40
homeland. For instance, engagement in
Afghanistan seeks to prevent the reemergence of
terrorist safe havens.
WORK WITH REFORMERS:
Political problems are at
the root of most state fragility. The United States
will prioritize programs that empower reform-
minded governments, people, and civil socie . As
the United States designs its efforts, inputs from
local actors improve the likelihood of enduring
solutions, reduce costs, and increase accountabil-
ity to the American taxpayer.
SYNCHRONIZE ACTIONS:
The United States must
use its diplomatic, economic, and military tools
simultaneously when assisting aspiring part-
ners. We will place a priority on economic
support that achieves local and macroeconomic
stability, helps build capable security forces, and
strengthens the rule of law.
Achieve Be er Outcomes
in Multilateral Forums
The United States must lead and engage in the
multinational arrangements that shape many
of the rules that affect U.S. interests and values.
A competition for influence exists in these insti-
tutions. As we participate in them, we must pro-
tect American sovereign and advance American
interests and values.
A range of international institutions establishes
the rules for how states, businesses, and individ-
uals interact with each other, across land and sea,
the Arctic, outer space, and the digital realm. It is
vital to U.S. prosperi and securi that these insti-
tutions uphold the rules that help keep these com-
mon domains open and free. Free access to the seas
remains a central principle of national security
and economic prosperity, and exploration of sea
and space provides opportunities for commercial
gain and scientifi c breakthroughs. e fl ow of data
and an open, interoperable Internet are insepara-
ble from the success of the U.S. economy.
Authoritarian actors have long recognized the
power of multilateral bodies and have used them
to advance their interests and limit the freedom
of their own citizens. If the United States cedes
leadership of these bodies to adversaries, oppor-
tunities to shape developments that are posi-
tive for the United States will be lost. All institu-
tions are not equal, however. The United States
will prioritize its efforts in those organizations
that serve American interests, to ensure that
they are strengthened and supportive of the
United States, our allies, and our partners. Where
existing institutions and rules need moderniz-
ing, the United States will lead to update them.
At the same time, it should be clear that the United
States will not cede sovereign to those that claim
authority over American citizens and are in con-
flict with our constitutional framework.
Priori Actions
EXERCISE LEADERSHIP IN POLITICAL AND SECURITY
BODIES:
e United States will strive for outcomes
in political and security forums that are consis-
tent with U.S. interests and values—values which
are shared by our allies and partners. The United
Nations can help contribute to solving many of
the complex problems in the world, but it must be
reformed and recommit to its founding princi-
ples. We will require accountability and empha-
size shared responsibility among members. If the
United States is asked to provide a disproportion-
ate level of support for an institution, we will expect
a commensurate degree of influence over the
direction and efforts of that institution.
SHAPE AND REFORM INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL AND
TRADE INSTITUTIONS:
e United States will continue
to play a leading role in institutions such as the
International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank,
and World Trade Organization (WTO), but will
41
PILLAR IV: ADVANCE AMERICAN INFLUENCE
improve their performance through reforms. ese
reforms include encouraging multilateral devel-
opment banks to invest in high-quali infrastruc-
ture projects that promote economic growth. We
will press to make the WTO a more e ective forum
to adjudicate unfair trade practices.
ENSURE COMMON DOMAINS
REMAIN FREE:
e United States
will provide leadership and
technology to shape and gov-
ern common domains—space,
cyberspace, air, and mari-
time—within the framework of
international law. The United
States supports the peace-
ful resolution of disputes
under international law but
will use all of its instruments
of power to defend U.S. inter-
ests and to ensure common
domains remain free.
PROTECT A FREE AND OPEN
INTERNET:
The United States
will advocate for open, interoperable commu-
nications, with minimal barriers to the global
exchange of information and services. e United
States will promote the free flow of data and pro-
tect its interests through active engagement in key
organizations, such as the Internet Corporation
for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the
Internet Governance Forum (IGF), the UN, and the
International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Champion American Values
The extraordinary trajectory of the United States
from a group of colonies to a thriving, industrial-
ized, sovereign republic—the world's lone super-
power—is a testimony to the strength of the idea
on which our Nation is founded, namely that
each of our citizens is born free and equal under
the law. America’s core principles, enshrined in
the Declaration of Independence, are secured by
the Bill of Rights, which proclaims our respect
for fundamental individual liberties beginning
with the freedoms of religion, speech, the press,
and assembly. Liberty, free enterprise, equal
justice under the law, and the dignity of every
human life are central to who
we are as a people.
ese principles form the foun-
dation of our most endur-
ing alliances, and the United
States will continue to cham-
pion them. Governments that
respect the rights of their cit-
izens remain the best vehi-
cle for prosperity, human hap-
piness, and peace. In contrast,
governments that routinely
abuse the rights of their citi-
zens do not play constructive
roles in the world. For example,
governments that fail to treat
women equally do not allow
their societies to reach their potential.
No nation can unilaterally alleviate all human
suffering, but just because we cannot help every-
one does not mean that we should stop trying
to help anyone. For much of the world, America’s
liberties are inspirational, and the United States
will always stand with those who seek free-
dom. We will remain a beacon of liberty and
opportunity around the world.
The United States also remains committed to
supporting and advancing religious freedom—
America’s first freedom. Our Founders under-
stood religious freedom not as the state’s creation,
but as the gift of God to every person and a funda-
mental right for our flourishing society.
And it is part of our culture, as well as in America’s
interest, to help those in need and those trying to
For much of the world,
America’s liberties are
inspirational, and the United
States will always stand
with those who seek freedom.
We will remain a beacon
of liber and opportuni
around the world.
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
42
build a be er future for their families. We aid oth-
ers judiciously, aligning our means to our objec-
tives, but with a firm belief that we can improve
the lives of others while establishing conditions
for a more secure and prosperous world.
Priori Actions
SUPPORT THE DIGNITY OF INDIVIDUALS:
We support,
with our words and actions, those who live under
oppressive regimes and who seek freedom, indi-
vidual dignity, and the rule of law. We are under
no obligation to offer the benefits of our free and
prosperous communi to repressive regimes and
human rights abusers. We may use diplomacy,
sanctions, and other tools to isolate states and lead-
ers who threaten our interests and whose actions
run contrary to our values. We will not remain
silent in the face of evil. We will hold perpetra-
tors of genocide and mass atrocities accountable.
DEFEAT TRANSNATIONAL TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS:
There can be no greater action to advance the
rights of individuals than to defeat jihadist terror-
ists and other groups that foment hatred and use
violence to advance their supremacist Islamist ide-
ologies. We will continue to join with other states to
defeat this scourge of all civilized peoples.
EMPOWER WOMEN AND YOUTH:
Societies that
empower women to participate fully in civic and
economic life are more prosperous and peace-
ful. We will support efforts to advance wom-
en’s equality, protect the rights of women and
girls, and promote women and youth empower-
ment programs.
PROTECT RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND RELIGIOUS
MINORITIES:
We will advocate on behalf of religious
freedom and threatened minorities. Religious
minorities continue to be victims of violence. We
will place a priority on protecting these groups
and will continue working with regional partners
to protect minority communities from attacks
and to preserve their cultural heritage.
REDUCE HUMAN SUFFERING:
e United States will
continue to lead the world in humanitarian assis-
tance. Even as we expect others to share respon-
sibility, the United States will continue to cata-
lyze international responses to man-made and
natural disasters and provide our expertise and
capabilities to those in need. We will support
food security and health programs that save lives
and address the root cause of hunger and dis-
ease. We will support displaced people close to
their homes to help meet their needs until they
can safely and voluntarily return home.
45
T S
R C
The United States must tailor our approaches to different regions of the
world to protect U.S. national interests. We require integrated regional strat-
egies that appreciate the nature and magnitude of threats, the intensi of
competitions, and the promise of available opportunities, all in the context
of local political, economic, social, and historical realities.
C
hanges in a regional balance of power can
have global consequences and threaten
U.S. interests. Markets, raw materi-
als, lines of communication, and human capital
are located within, or move among, key regions
of the world. China and Russia aspire to proj-
ect power worldwide, but they interact most with
their neighbors. North Korea and Iran also pose
the greatest menace to those closest to them. But,
as destructive weapons proliferate and regions
become more interconnected, threats become
more difficult to contain. And regional balances
that shift against the United States could combine
to threaten our security.
The United States must marshal the will and
capabilities to compete and prevent unfavorable
shifts in the Indo-Pacific, Europe, and the Middle
East. Sustaining favorable balances of power will
require a strong commitment and close cooper-
ation with allies and partners because allies and
partners magni U.S. power and extend U.S. infl u-
ence. They share our interests and responsibility
for resisting authoritarian trends, contesting radi-
cal ideologies, and deterring aggression.
In other regions of the world, instabili and weak
governance threaten U.S. interests. Some gov-
ernments are unable to maintain security and
meet the basic needs of their people, making
their country and citizens vulnerable to preda-
tors. Terrorists and criminals thrive where gov-
ernments are weak, corruption is rampant, and
faith in government institutions is low. Strategic
competitors often exploit rather than discour-
age corruption and state weakness to extract
resources and exploit their populations.
Regions afflicted by instability and weak govern-
ments also offer opportunities to improve secu-
ri , promote prosperi , and restore hope. Aspiring
partner states across the developing world want
to improve their societies, build transparent and
e ective governments, confront non-state threats,
and strengthen their sovereignty. Many recog-
nize the opportunities offered by market econo-
mies and political liberties and are eager for part-
nership with the United States and our allies. e
United States will encourage aspiring partners as
they undertake reforms and pursue their aspira-
tions. States that prosper and nations that tran-
sition from recipients of development assistance
to trading partners offer economic opportunities
for American businesses. And stability reduces
threats that target Americans at home.
Indo-Pacifi c
A geopolitical competition between free and
repressive visions of world order is taking place in
the Indo-Pacifi c region. e region, which stretches
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
46
from the west coast of India to the western shores
of the United States, represents the most populous
and economically dynamic part of the world. The
U.S. interest in a free and open Indo-Pacifi c extends
back to the earliest days of our republic.
Although the United States seeks to continue to
cooperate with China, China
is using economic induce-
ments and penalties, influ-
ence operations, and implied
military threats to persuade
other states to heed its political
and security agenda. China’s
infrastructure investments
and trade strategies reinforce
its geopolitical aspirations.
Its efforts to build and mili-
tarize outposts in the South
China Sea endanger the free
fl ow of trade, threaten the sov-
ereignty of other nations, and
undermine regional stabil-
ity. China has mounted a rapid military modern-
ization campaign designed to limit U.S. access to
the region and provide China a freer hand there.
China presents its ambitions as mutually ben-
eficial, but Chinese dominance risks diminish-
ing the sovereignty of many states in the Indo-
Pacific. States throughout the region are calling
for sustained U.S. leadership in a collective
response that upholds a regional order respect-
ful of sovereignty and independence.
In Northeast Asia, the North Korean regime is
rapidly accelerating its cyber, nuclear, and bal-
listic missile programs. North Korea’s pur-
suit of these weapons poses a global threat that
requires a global response. Continued provo-
cations by North Korea will prompt neighbor-
ing countries and the United States to further
strengthen security bonds and take additional
measures to protect themselves. And a nucle-
ar-armed North Korea could lead to the prolif-
eration of the world’s most destructive weapons
across the Indo-Pacifi c region and beyond.
U.S. allies are critical to responding to mutual
threats, such as North Korea, and preserving our
mutual interests in the Indo-Pacific region. Our
alliance and friendship with South Korea, forged
by the trials of history, is stron-
ger than ever. We welcome
and support the strong lead-
ership role of our critical ally,
Japan. Australia has fought
alongside us in every signif-
icant conflict since World
War I, and continues to rein-
force economic and security
arrangements that support our
shared interests and safeguard
democratic values across
the region. New Zealand is
a key U.S. partner contrib-
uting to peace and security
across the region. We welcome
India’s emergence as a leading global power and
stronger strategic and defense partner. We will
seek to increase quadrilateral cooperation with
Japan, Australia, and India.
In Southeast Asia, the Philippines and Thailand
remain important allies and markets for
Americans. Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and
Singapore are growing security and economic
partners of the United States. The Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Asia-Pacifi c
Economic Cooperation (APEC) remain centerpieces
of the Indo-Pacifi c’s regional architecture and plat-
forms for promoting an order based on freedom.
Priori Actions
POLITICAL:
Our vision for the Indo-Pacifi c excludes
no nation. We will redouble our commitment to
established alliances and partnerships, while
expanding and deepening relationships with new
Sustaining favorable balances
of power will require a
strong commitment and close
cooperation with allies and
partners because allies and
partners magni U.S. power
and extend U.S. infl uence.
47
THE STRATEGY IN A REGIONAL CONTEXT
partners that share respect for sovereign , fair and
reciprocal trade, and the rule of law. We will rein-
force our commitment to freedom of the seas and
the peaceful resolution of territorial and maritime
disputes in accordance with international law.
We will work with allies and partners to achieve
complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclear-
ization on the Korean Peninsula and preserve
the non-proliferation regime in Northeast Asia.
ECONOMIC:
The United States will encourage
regional cooperation to maintain free and open
seaways, transparent infrastructure financing
practices, unimpeded commerce, and the peace-
ful resolution of disputes. We will pursue bilateral
trade agreements on a fair and reciprocal basis. We
will seek equal and reliable access for American
exports. We will work with partners to build a net-
work of states dedicated to free markets and pro-
tected from forces that would subvert their sover-
eign . We will strengthen cooperation with allies
on high-quality infrastructure. Working with
Australia and New Zealand, we will shore up frag-
ile partner states in the Pacific Islands region to
reduce their vulnerability to economic fluctu-
ations and natural disasters.
MILITARY AND SECURITY:
We will maintain a forward
military presence capable of deterring and, if nec-
essary, defeating any adversary. We will strengthen
our long-standing military relationships and
encourage the development of a strong defense net-
work with our allies and partners. For example,
we will cooperate on missile defense with Japan
and South Korea to move toward an area defense
capabili . We remain ready to respond with over-
whelming force to North Korean aggression and
will improve options to compel denuclearization
of the peninsula. We will improve law enforce-
ment, defense, and intelligence cooperation with
Southeast Asian partners to address the growing
terrorist threat. We will maintain our strong ties
with Taiwan in accordance with our “One China”
policy, including our commitments under the
Taiwan Relations Act to provide for Taiwan’s legit-
imate defense needs and deter coercion. We will
expand our defense and securi cooperation with
India, a Major Defense Partner of the United States,
and support India’s growing relationships through-
out the region. We will re-energize our alliances
with the Philippines and ailand and strengthen
our partnerships with Singapore, Vietnam,
Indonesia, Malaysia, and others to help them
become cooperative maritime partners.
Europe
A strong and free Europe is of vital importance to
the United States. We are bound together by our
shared commitment to the principles of democracy,
individual liber , and the rule of law. Together, we
rebuilt Western Europe after World War II and cre-
ated institutions that produced stabili and wealth
on both sides of the Atlantic. Today, Europe is one
of the most prosperous regions in the world and
our most signifi cant trading partner.
Although the menace of Soviet communism is
gone, new threats test our will. Russia is using
subversive measures to weaken the credibil-
ity of America’s commitment to Europe, under-
mine transatlantic unity, and weaken European
institutions and governments. With its inva-
sions of Georgia and Ukraine, Russia demon-
strated its willingness to violate the sovereignty
of states in the region. Russia continues to intim-
idate its neighbors with threatening behavior,
such as nuclear posturing and the forward deploy-
ment of offensive capabilities.
China is gaining a strategic foothold in Europe by
expanding its unfair trade practices and invest-
ing in key industries, sensitive technologies, and
infrastructure. Europe also faces immediate
threats from violent Islamist extremists. Attacks
by ISIS and other jihadist groups in Spain, France,
Germany, Belgium, the United Kingdom, and
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
48
other countries show that our European partners
continue to face serious threats. Instability in the
Middle East and Africa has triggered the movement
of millions of migrants and refugees into Europe,
exacerbating instabili and tensions in the region.
e United States is safer when Europe is prosper-
ous and stable, and can help defend our shared
interests and ideals. The United States remains
fi rmly commi ed to our European allies and part-
ners. The NATO alliance of free and sovereign
states is one of our great advantages over our com-
petitors, and the United States remains commit-
ted to Article V of the Washington Trea .
European allies and partners increase our strate-
gic reach and provide access to forward basing and
overflight rights for global operations. Together
we confront shared threats. European nations
are contributing thousands of troops to help fi ght
jihadist terrorists in Afghanistan, stabilize Iraq,
and fight terrorist organizations across Africa
and the greater Middle East.
e NATO alliance will become stronger when all
members assume greater responsibility for and
pay their fair share to protect our mutual interests,
sovereignty, and values.
Priori Actions
POLITICAL:
e United States will deepen collabora-
tion with our European allies and partners to con-
front forces threatening to undermine our com-
mon values, securi interests, and shared vision.
The United States and Europe will work together
to counter Russian subversion and aggression,
and the threats posed by North Korea and Iran.
We will continue to advance our shared princi-
ples and interests in international forums.
ECONOMIC:
The United States will work with the
European Union, and bilaterally with the United
Kingdom and other states, to ensure fair and recip-
rocal trade practices and eliminate barriers to
growth. We will encourage European foreign direct
investment in the United States to create jobs. We
will work with our allies and partners to diver-
si European energy sources to ensure the energy
security of European countries. We will work
with our partners to contest China’s unfair trade
and economic practices and restrict its acquisi-
tion of sensitive technologies.
MILITARY AND SECURITY:
The United States ful-
fills our defense responsibilities and expects oth-
ers to do the same. We expect our European allies
to increase defense spending to 2 percent of gross
domestic product by 2024, with 20 percent of this
spending devoted to increasing military capa-
bilities. On NATO’s eastern flank we will con-
tinue to strengthen deterrence and defense, and
catalyze frontline allies and partners’ efforts
to better defend themselves. We will work with
NATO to improve its integrated air and mis-
sile defense capabilities to counter existing and
projected ballistic and cruise missile threats,
particularly from Iran. We will increase counter-
terrorism and cybersecuri cooperation.
Middle East
The United States seeks a Middle East that is
not a safe haven or breeding ground for jihadist
terrorists, not dominated by any power hostile to
the United States, and that contributes to a stable
global energy market.
For years, the interconnected problems of Iranian
expansion, state collapse, jihadist ideology,
socio-economic stagnation, and regional rival-
ries have convulsed the Middle East. The United
States has learned that neither aspirations for dem-
ocratic transformation nor disengagement can
insulate us from the region’s problems. We must
be realistic about our expectations for the region
without allowing pessimism to obscure our inter-
ests or vision for a modern Middle East.
49
THE STRATEGY IN A REGIONAL CONTEXT
e region remains home to the world’s most dan-
gerous terrorist organizations. ISIS and al-Qa’ida
thrive on instabili and export violent jihad. Iran,
the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, has
taken advantage of instability to expand its influ-
ence through partners and proxies, weapon prolif-
eration, and funding. It continues to develop more
capable ballistic missiles and intelligence capa-
bilities, and it undertakes malicious cyber activ-
ities. These activities have continued unabated
since the 2015 nuclear deal. Iran continues to per-
petuate the cycle of violence in the region, caus-
ing grievous harm to civilian populations. Rival
states are filling vacuums created by state col-
lapse and prolonged regional conflict.
Despite these challenges, there are emerging
opportunities to advance American interests in
the Middle East. Some of our partners are working
together to reject radical ideologies, and key lead-
ers are calling for a rejection of Islamist extrem-
ism and violence. Encouraging
political stability and sustain-
able prosperity would contrib-
ute to dampening the conditions
that fuel sectarian grievances.
For generations the con-
flict between Israel and the
Palestinians has been under-
stood as the prime irritant
preventing peace and pros-
perity in the region. Today,
the threats from jihadist ter-
rorist organizations and the
threat from Iran are creating the realization that
Israel is not the cause of the region’s problems.
States have increasingly found common inter-
ests with Israel in confronting common threats.
Today, the United States has the opportunity to
catalyze greater economic and political cooper-
ation that will expand prosperity for those who
want to partner with us. By revitalizing partner-
ships with reform-minded nations and encour-
aging cooperation among partners in the region,
the United States can promote stability and a bal-
ance of power that favors U.S. interests.
Priori Actions
POLITICAL:
We will strengthen partnerships, and
form new ones, to help advance security through
stability. Whenever possible, we will encourage
gradual reforms. We will support e orts to counter
violent ideologies and increase respect for the dig-
ni of individuals. We remain commi ed to help-
ing our partners achieve a stable and prosperous
region, including through a strong and integrated
Gulf Cooperation Council. We will strengthen our
long-term strategic partnership with Iraq as an
independent state. We will seek a se lement to the
Syrian civil war that sets the conditions for refu-
gees to return home and rebuild their lives in safe .
We will work with partners to deny the Iranian
regime all paths to a nuclear
weapon and neutralize Iranian
malign influence. We remain
committed to helping facilitate
a comprehensive peace agree-
ment that is acceptable to both
Israelis and Palestinians.
ECONOMIC:
The United States
will support the reforms under-
way that begin to address core
inequities that jihadist terror-
ists exploit. We will encourage
states in the region, including
Egypt and Saudi Arabia, to continue moderniz-
ing their economies. We will play a role in catalyz-
ing positive developments by engaging economi-
cally, supporting reformers, and championing the
benefits of open markets and societies.
MILITARY AND SECURITY:
We will retain the neces-
sary American military presence in the region to
protect the United States and our allies from ter-
rorist attacks and preserve a favorable regional
Terrorists and criminals
thrive where
governments are weak,
corruption is rampant,
and faith in government
institutions is low.
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
50
balance of power. We will assist regional part-
ners in strengthening their institutions and
capabilities, including in law enforcement, to
conduct counterterrorism and counterinsur-
gency efforts. We will help partners procure
interoperable missile defense and other capa-
bilities to better defend against active missile
threats. We will work with partners to neutral-
ize Iran’s malign activities in the region.
South and Central Asia
With over a quarter of the world’s population, a
fi fth of all U.S.-designated terrorist groups, several
fast-growing economies, and two nuclear-armed
states, South and Central Asia present some of the
most complicated national security challenges
and opportunities. The region spans the terrorist
threats emanating from the Middle East and the
competition for power unfolding in Europe and
the Indo-Pacific. The United States continues to
face threats from transnational terrorists and mili-
tants operating from within Pakistan. e prospect
for an Indo-Pakistani military conflict that could
lead to a nuclear exchange remains a key concern
requiring consistent diplomatic a ention.
U.S. interests in the region include countering ter-
rorist threats that impact the security of the U.S.
homeland and our allies, preventing cross-border
terrorism that raises the prospect of military and
nuclear tensions, and preventing nuclear weap-
ons, technology, and materials from falling into
the hands of terrorists. We seek an American pres-
ence in the region proportionate to threats to the
homeland and our allies. We seek a Pakistan that is
not engaged in destabilizing behavior and a stable
and self-reliant Afghanistan. And we seek Central
Asian states that are resilient against domination
by rival powers, are resistant to becoming jihad-
ist safe havens, and prioritize reforms.
Priori Actions
POLITICAL:
We will deepen our strategic partner-
ship with India and support its leadership role
in Indian Ocean security and throughout the
broader region. We will press Pakistan to inten-
sify its counterterrorism efforts, since no part-
nership can survive a country’s support for mil-
itants and terrorists who target a partner’s own
service members and officials. The United States
will also encourage Pakistan to continue demon-
strating that it is a responsible steward of its
nuclear assets. We will continue to partner with
Afghanistan to promote peace and securi in the
region. We will continue to promote anti-corrup-
tion reform in Afghanistan to increase the legit-
imacy of its government and reduce the appeal of
violent extremist organizations. We will help South
Asian nations maintain their sovereign as China
increases its influence in the region.
ECONOMIC:
We will encourage the economic inte-
gration of Central and South Asia to promote
prosperity and economic linkages that will bol-
ster connectivity and trade. And we will encour-
age India to increase its economic assistance
in the region. In Pakistan, we will build trade
and investment ties as security improves and as
Pakistan demonstrates that it will assist the United
States in our counterterrorism goals.
MILITARY AND SECURITY:
We are committed to
supporting the Afghan government and security
forces in their fi ght against the Taliban, al-Qa’ida,
ISIS, and other terrorists. We will bolster the
fighting strength of the Afghan security forces
to convince the Taliban that they cannot win on
the battlefield and to set the conditions for diplo-
matic efforts to achieve enduring peace. We will
insist that Pakistan take decisive action against
militant and terrorist groups operating from its
soil. We will work with the Central Asian states
to guarantee access to the region to support our
counterterrorism efforts.
51
THE STRATEGY IN A REGIONAL CONTEXT
Western Hemisphere
Stable, friendly, and prosperous states in the
Western Hemisphere enhance our security and
benefit our economy. Democratic states con-
nected by shared values and economic interests
will reduce the violence, drug tra cking, and ille-
gal immigration that threaten our common secu-
rity, and will limit opportunities for adversar-
ies to operate from areas of close proximity to us.
In the last half century, parts of this hemisphere
were marred by dictatorships and insurgencies
that killed tens of thousands of people. Today,
this region stands on the cusp of prosperity and
peace, built upon democracy and the rule of law.
U.S. trade in the region is thriving and market
opportunities for American goods and services,
energy and infrastructure projects, and foreign
direct investment continue to expand.
Challenges remain, however. Transnational crim-
inal organizations—including gangs and cartels—
perpetuate violence and corruption, and threaten
the stability of Central American states includ-
ing Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. In
Venezuela and Cuba, governments cling to anach-
ronistic leftist authoritarian models that con-
tinue to fail their people. Competitors have found
operating space in the hemisphere.
China seeks to pull the region into its orbit through
state-led investments and loans. Russia contin-
ues its failed politics of the Cold War by bolster-
ing its radical Cuban allies as Cuba continues to
repress its citizens. Both China and Russia sup-
port the dictatorship in Venezuela and are seek-
ing to expand military linkages and arms sales
across the region. The hemisphere’s democratic
states have a shared interest in confronting threats
to their sovereignty.
Canada and the United States share a unique
strategic and defense partnership. The United
States also has important and deepening rela-
tions with key countries in the region. Together,
we will build a stable and peaceful hemisphere
that increases economic opportunities for all,
improves governance, reduces the power of crim-
inal organizations, and limits the malign influ-
ence of non-hemispheric forces.
Priori Actions
POLITICAL:
We will catalyze regional e orts to build
securi and prosperi through strong diplomatic
engagement. We will isolate governments that
refuse to act as responsible partners in advancing
hemispheric peace and prosperi . We look forward
to the day when the people of Cuba and Venezuela
can enjoy freedom and the benefi ts of shared pros-
perity, and we encourage other free states in the
hemisphere to support this shared endeavor.
ECONOMIC:
We will modernize our trade agree-
ments and deepen our economic ties with the
region and ensure that trade is fair and reciprocal.
We will encourage further market-based economic
reforms and encourage transparency to create con-
ditions for sustained prosperity. We will ensure
the U.S. fi nancial system does not serve as a haven
or transit point for criminal proceeds.
MILITARY AND SECURITY:
We will build upon local
efforts and encourage cultures of lawfulness to
reduce crime and corruption, including by sup-
porting local efforts to professionalize police and
other security forces; strengthen the rule of law
and undertake judicial reform; and improve infor-
mation sharing to target criminals and corrupt
leaders and disrupt illicit trafficking.
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
52
Africa
Africa remains a continent of promise and endur-
ing challenges. Africa contains many of the world’s
fastest growing economies, which represent poten-
tial new markets for U.S. goods and services.
Aspiring partners across the continent are eager
to build market-based economies and enhance sta-
bili . e demand for quali American exports is
high and will likely grow as Africa’s population and
prosperi increase. People across the continent are
demanding government accountability and less
corruption, and are opposing autocratic trends. e
number of stable African nations has grown since
the independence era as numerous countries have
emerged from devastating confl icts and undergone
democratic transitions.
Despite this progress, many states face political
turbulence and instability that spills into other
regions. Corruption and weak governance threaten
to undermine the political
benefits that should emerge
from new economic opportu-
nities. Many African states
are battlegrounds for vio-
lent extremism and jihad-
ist terrorists. ISIS, al-Qa’ida,
and their affiliates oper-
ate on the continent and
have increased the lethal-
ity of their attacks, expanded
into new areas, and targeted
U.S. citizens and interests.
African nations and regional
organizations have demon-
strated a commitment to confront the threat
from jihadist terrorist organizations, but their
security capabilities remain weak.
China is expanding its economic and military
presence in Africa, growing from a small inves-
tor in the continent two decades ago into Africa’s
largest trading partner today. Some Chinese prac-
tices undermine Africa’s long-term development
by corrupting elites, dominating extractive indus-
tries, and locking countries into unsustainable
and opaque debts and commitments.
The United States seeks sovereign African states
that are integrated into the world economy, able
to provide for their citizens’ needs, and capable of
managing threats to peace and securi . Improved
governance in these states supports economic
development and opportunities, diminishes the
a raction of illegal migration, and reduces vulner-
abili to extremists, thereby reducing instabili .
Priori Actions
POLITICAL:
The United States will partner with
governments, civil society, and regional organi-
zations to end long-running, violent conflicts.
We will encourage reform, working with prom-
ising nations to promote effective governance,
improve the rule of law, and
develop institutions account-
able and responsive to cit-
izens. We will continue to
respond to humanitarian
needs while also working
with commi ed governments
and regional organizations
to address the root causes of
human suffering. If neces-
sary, we are prepared to sanc-
tion government officials
and institutions that prey
on their citizens and com-
mit atrocities. When there is
no alternative, we will suspend aid rather than
see it exploited by corrupt elites.
ECONOMIC:
We will expand trade and commercial
ties to create jobs and build wealth for Americans
and Africans. We will work with reform-oriented
governments to help establish conditions that can
transform them into trading partners and improve
We will encourage reform,
working with promising nations
to promote e ective governance,
improve the rule of law, and
develop institutions accountable
and responsive to citizens.
53
THE STRATEGY IN A REGIONAL CONTEXT
their business environment. We will support eco-
nomic integration among African states. We will
work with nations that seek to move beyond assis-
tance to partnerships that promote prosperity.
We will offer American goods and services, both
because it is profi table for us and because it serves
as an alternative to China’s often extractive eco-
nomic footprint on the continent.
MILITARY AND SECURITY:
We will continue to work
with partners to improve the ability of their secu-
rity services to counter terrorism, human traf-
ficking, and the illegal trade in arms and natural
resources. We will work with partners to defeat
terrorist organizations and others who threaten
U.S. citizens and the homeland.
55
C
is National Securi Strategy sets a positive strategic direction for the United
States that is meant to reassert America’s advantages on the world stage and to
build upon our country’s great strengths. During the Trump Administration,
the American people can be confi dent that their securi and prosperi will
always come fi rst. A secure, prosperous, and free America will be strong and
ready to lead abroad to protect our interests and our way of life.
A
merica’s renewed strategic confidence
is anchored in our recommitment to
the principles inscribed in our found-
ing documents. The National Security Strategy
celebrates and protects what we hold dear—
individual liberty, the rule of law, a democratic
system of government, tolerance, and opportuni
for all. By knowing ourselves and what we stand
for, we clari what we must defend and we estab-
lish guiding principles for our actions.
This strategy is guided by principled real-
ism. It is realist because it acknowledges the
central role of power in international poli-
tics, affirms that sovereign states are the best
hope for a peaceful world, and clearly defines
our national interests. It is principled because
it is grounded in the knowledge that advanc-
ing American principles spreads peace and
prosperity around the globe. We are guided
by our values and disciplined by our interests.
is Administration has a bright vision of America’s
future. America’s values and influence, under-
wri en by American power, make the world more
free, secure, and prosperous.
Our Nation derives its strength from the American
people. Every American has a role to play in this
grand, national effort to implement this America
First National Securi Strategy. Together, our task
is to strengthen our families, to build up our com-
munities, to serve our citizens, and to celebrate
American greatness as a shining example to the
world. We will leave our children and grandchil-
dren a Nation that is stronger, be er, freer, prouder,
and greater than ever before.
NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY
56
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