On December 4, the White House released a new National Security Strategy, and two days later, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth explained it in his keynote remarks at the Reagan National Defense Forum. The NSS reveals the Trump Administration's vision for how American power should be wielded and for what purpose. It reorients U.S. military focus to the Western Hemisphere and protecting the homeland, presses allies to do more for their own defense, and seeks greater use of economic and industrial policy tools to expand U.S. global influence and win the technology competition. It also highlights the need for a modern nuclear deterrent, next-generation missile defenses, and cutting-edge military and dual-use technology, including space capabilities.
Transcript — December 10, 2025
What are the strengths, shortfalls, and shockwaves of Trump’s new national security blueprint? What are its implications for deterrence and U.S. national defense? What does it mean for our alliances, and how will adversaries interpret it? To discuss these questions and more, please join the CSIS Defense and Security Department’s HTK Series for a conversation featuring Heather Williams, director of the CSIS Project on Nuclear Issues, Tom Karako, director of the CSIS Missile Defense Project, and Kari Bingen, director of the CSIS Aerospace Security Project.
This event is made possible by general support to CSIS.
