Pentagon Shifts Focus: China No Longer Top Threat, Allies Get Limited Support

• The US Department of Defense's 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS) no longer identifies China as the top security threat, shifting focus to homeland protection.
• The strategy indicates "more limited" support for traditional US allies, expecting them to take primary responsibility for their own defense.
• China, previously the top threat in 2018 and 2022, is now a secondary concern, with primary strategic weight on homeland security and deterrence in the Americas.
• The NDS emphasizes defending American citizens, securing critical access from the Arctic to South America, and moving away from matching China ship-for-ship.
• Allies like Japan, South Korea, and European NATO members are expected to bolster independent deterrence capabilities and increase defense spending.

Why It Matters: Pentagon's new strategy downgrades China as top threat, prioritizes homeland defense, and limits support for allies.