Trump-Era U.S. Defense Strategy Recasts Greenland as Core Security Concern

Washington: The United States has unveiled a new National Defense Strategy that formally repositions Europe lower on Washington’s list of strategic priorities while elevating Greenland as a core homeland security concern, signaling a shift in U.S. defense focus toward the Western Hemisphere and the Arctic.

The strategy, published late Friday, states that although Europe remains important, it represents a “smaller and declining share of global economic power.” It emphasizes that while the U.S. will maintain engagement in Europe, defending the American homeland and deterring China are now the top priorities.

The document notes that Europe is economically and militarily capable of defending itself, pointing out that non-U.S. NATO members collectively surpass Russia in economic scale. “Allies are strongly positioned to take primary responsibility for Europe’s conventional defense,” the report says.

Greenland, meanwhile, is explicitly identified as strategically critical, alongside the Panama Canal, with the Pentagon tasked to provide the president with options to ensure U.S. military and commercial access to key terrain from the Arctic to South America. The strategy also states the U.S. will uphold the Monroe Doctrine “in our time,” reflecting a continued emphasis on hemispheric security.

This approach aligns with President Donald Trump’s recent comments on Greenland, which have unsettled European capitals and fueled concern about Washington’s long-term intentions in the Arctic.

The defense strategy builds on the Trump administration’s National Security Strategy released in December, which recast the Western Hemisphere — rather than Europe — as the primary arena for safeguarding U.S. security. Both strategies stress that while Europe will continue to receive U.S. engagement, European allies are expected to take greater responsibility for handling regional threats, with the U.S. providing critical but more limited support.