Trump’s national security strategy delayed by internal debate over China

Documents outlining the Trump administration’s global security strategy have been delayed for weeks due to changes insisted upon by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding China.

The National Security Strategy and National Defense Strategy documents were expected to be published in early fall. Both are now nearly complete and will likely be released this month.

Sources speaking to POLITICO confirmed that the National Security Strategy will be published soon.

These individuals stated that the strategies were revised multiple times after Bessent requested further work on the language used to discuss China, citing the sensitivity of ongoing trade negotiations with Beijing and the elevation of the Western Hemisphere as a higher priority compared to previous administrations.

The National Security Strategy has been used by successive administrations to outline their overarching strategic priorities, from the economic sphere to relations with allies and adversaries and military positioning.

The draft undergoes a series of readings and comment periods from cabinet officials, aiming to capture the breadth of the administration’s vision and ensure the entire government is aligned on the president’s most important issues.

The administration has been engaged in sensitive trade talks with Beijing for months regarding tariffs and various trade matters, but the Pentagon has maintained its stance that China is the US’s greatest military competitor.

The extent of the changes following Bessent’s requests remains unclear, but sources said the secretary wanted to soften some of the language concerning China’s activities, though they declined to provide further details.

Any change in one document would necessitate similar changes in the other, as they must be aligned to present a united front.

It is common practice for the Treasury Secretary and other cabinet officials to provide their input during the drafting and discussion of a new strategy, as most administrations publish only one National Security Strategy per term.

In a statement, the Treasury Department noted that Bessent is “100% in agreement with President Trump, like everyone else in this administration, on how to best manage the relationship with China.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to speak on Friday at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California, about the Pentagon’s efforts to accelerate arms production to “respond to the China challenge.”

At the same time, Hegseth is working with his Chinese counterpart, Admiral Dong Jun, to establish a US-China military communication system aimed at preventing disagreements or “misunderstandings” in the Indo-Pacific region from escalating into unintended conflicts.

On Wednesday, at the New York Times Dealbook summit, Bessent said that China is on track to fulfill its commitments under the US-China trade deal, including the purchase of 12 million metric tons of soybeans by February 2026.

“China is on track to fulfill every single part of the agreement,” Bessent said.

The National Security Strategy, published by every administration, has not been updated since the one released by the Biden administration in 2022.

That document highlighted three core themes: strategic competition with China and Russia; a focus on renewed investments and domestic industrial policy; and the recognition of climate change as a central issue affecting all aspects of national security.

The new strategy is expected to place greater emphasis on the “Western Hemisphere” than previous strategies, which focused on the Middle East, counter-terrorism, China, and Russia.

It is also expected to focus on issues such as immigration, drug cartels, and relations with Latin America to “protect the US homeland.”

POLITICO previously reported that the new National Defense Strategy would place more emphasis on “protecting the US homeland and the Western Hemisphere.”

Following both documents, a “global posture review” is expected. This review, eagerly awaited by allies from Germany to South Korea where tens of thousands of US troops are stationed, examines how US military assets are positioned worldwide and could be relocated.