Trump’s national security strategy risks blinding US to other threats, former officials warn

President Donald Trump participates in a roundtable discussion with farmers in the Cabinet Room of the White House on Monday December 8, 2025. Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images

President Donald Trump’s new national security strategy appears to favor steering spying resources toward short‑term, transactional priorities and would blind the United States to other emerging threats as it reduces focus on other longstanding transnational issues, former national security officials said Tuesday.

They spoke on a panel hosted by The Steady State, a group of ex-U.S. security officials focused on democracy and rule of law.

The strategy, released last week, puts emphasis on the Western Hemisphere and aims to decouple security relations with Europe, demanding it take more responsibility for its own defensive posture and work with “patriotic European parties” in phrasing that aligns with Europe’s far-right politicians. It also tasks the U.S. intelligence ...