Five key takeaways from Trump's National Security Strategy

"A periodic document spelling out the United States's foreign policy and security has emphasised the need for US preeminence in the Western Hemisphere, reflecting President Donald Trump's push for regional dominance. The National Security Strategy (NNS), released on Friday, also called for balancing trade with China and deterring it from seizing Taiwan. list of 3 itemsend of list But unlike the previous assessment, which was published during the Joe Biden presidency in 2022, the new NNS did not focus primarily on China or mark competition with Beijing as the top challenge for the US."

"Instead, the US administration stressed non-interventionist policies. It reflected Trump's disdain for multilateralism and international organisations, saying that the world's fundamental political unit is and will remain the nation-state. Here are five key takeaways from the document. The US is seeking to restore American preeminence in the Western Hemisphere by reinforcing the Monroe Doctrine a 19th-century US policy in opposition to European colonisation and interference in the Americas."

"Other than deterring foreign influence in the hemisphere, it will push to combat the drug trade and irregular migration while encouraging private economies. We will reward and encourage the region's governments, political parties, and movements broadly aligned with our principles and strategy, the document reads. Trump has already put this approach into action by publicly backing conservative politicians in Latin America and bailing out the Argentinian economy under right-wing President Javier Melei with $40bn. We will deny non-Hemispheric competitors the ability to position forces or other threatening capabilities, or to own or control strategically vital assets, in our Hemisphere, the document says."

US foreign policy emphasizes preeminence in the Western Hemisphere and a modern Monroe Doctrine to deter non‑Hemispheric competitors from deploying forces or controlling strategic assets. The policy prioritizes combating the drug trade and irregular migration while encouraging private economies and rewarding governments and movements aligned with US principles. It adopts non‑interventionist, nation‑state‑centric rhetoric and rejects multilateralism and international organisations. The strategy calls for balancing trade with China and deterring Chinese attempts to seize Taiwan, while deprioritising prolonged engagement in the Middle East. The approach includes active political and economic support for conservative allies in Latin America.

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