Trump Administration Pins China as America’s Top Threat in Security Strategy

· SOFREP News Team

China's PLA Navy aircraft carrier Liaoning (CV-16) at sea with a J-15 fighter jet launching from the deck. (Wikimedia Commons)

In recent years, the shifting dynamics of global power have driven the United States to reevaluate its security strategy. One of the most prominent changes in the Trump administration’s national security approach has been the identification of China as the top national security priority.

This designation reflects the increasingly complex challenges posed by China’s growing military capabilities, economic influence, and ambitions for global dominance.

However, the administration’s strategy also emphasizes an important balance with renewed attention to security concerns in the Western Hemisphere, signaling a broader rethinking of US priorities in the face of evolving global threats.

China as the Foremost National Security Threat

At the forefront of the Trump administration’s national security strategy is the recognition that China poses a multifaceted challenge, far beyond traditional military threats.

Mackenzie Eaglen, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, succinctly put it: “China first, full stop,” as cited by USNI News in a report published Thursday, March 20. This phrase encapsulates the administration’s primary concern—China’s rapid technological advancements, military modernizations, and assertive foreign policy that challenge US interests, both globally and in the Indo-Pacific region.

China’s military progress has been particularly alarming, as evidenced by its investments in cutting-edge weapons systems, including hypersonic glide vehicles. These technological developments signal China’s ambition to leapfrog traditional military capabilities, presenting a direct challenge to US military superiority.

Hypersonic weapons, in particular, are capable of traveling at speeds greater than five times the speed of sound, making them difficult to intercept.

For the Trump administration, such advancements underscore the urgency of treating China as the top security concern, especially as the US seeks to maintain its dominance in both conventional and advanced warfare capabilities.

China’s growing influence is not limited to military technology.

The country’s aggressive posture in international relations, particularly in its territorial disputes in the South China Sea, also represents a direct challenge to the rules-based international order.

By exerting control over vital shipping lanes and expanding its military presence in disputed areas, China’s actions have forced the US to reconsider its strategic approach to global security.

Taiwan: The Immediate Flashpoint

Among the many concerns associated with China’s rise, the potential threat of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan remains one of the most pressing issues for US national security.

Taiwan, a democratic self-governing island off China’s southeastern coast, has long been a point of contention between Beijing and Washington. China views Taiwan as a breakaway province and has repeatedly vowed to reunify it with the mainland, by force if necessary.

Given Taiwan’s strategic importance in the Indo-Pacific region, any move by China to assert control over the island would trigger significant geopolitical consequences.

While the Trump administration’s national security strategy has consistently placed a strong emphasis on deterring Chinese aggression in the region, experts remain divided on the likelihood of an imminent Chinese invasion.

Michael O’Hanlon, director of the Brookings Strobe Talbott Center, expressed cautious optimism about the prospect of such an invasion.

While acknowledging the possibility of Chinese military aggression, O’Hanlon suggested that the deterrent measures already taken by the US and its Pacific allies have been effective.

He pointed to the US military’s readiness and the growing defense capabilities of countries like Japan and Australia as significant factors that may discourage China from attempting a direct military confrontation with Taiwan.

Despite this, O’Hanlon also highlighted a more realistic scenario—China’s use of gray-zone tactics.

These strategies, which include limited missile strikes, naval blockades, and cyberattacks, align with China’s military doctrine and could be used to apply pressure on Taiwan without triggering an all-out war.

This more subtle approach could lead to escalating tensions in the region, with profound implications for US interests and global stability.

The Western Hemisphere and Border Security

In addition to focusing on China, the Trump administration has sharpened its attention on the Western Hemisphere, particularly in the realm of border security.

A significant shift in priorities was seen in the military’s deployment to the US-Mexico border, which became a key point of focus early in the administration.

The Pentagon’s decision to send additional troops to secure the 2,000-mile-long border with Mexico reflected the administration’s commitment to addressing what it perceived as a pressing national security threat.

The deployment included 3,000 active-duty soldiers, joining the 1,200 soldiers already stationed at the border, alongside 5,000 National Guardsmen under state control. These military assets were tasked with halting illegal immigration and narcotic trafficking, particularly fentanyl, from crossing into the US.

The military’s role in border security was not only about physical deterrence but also about showcasing US resolve to protect its sovereignty and the safety of its citizens.

This emphasis on the southern border demonstrates the administration’s strategy to assert US dominance in its own backyard, responding to concerns about illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and transnational criminal organizations.

In addition to military deployments, the Trump administration also considered allowing active-duty service members to detain migrants crossing the border illegally—an issue that sparked considerable debate about the role of the military in domestic law enforcement.

Global Power Dynamics and NATO

The Trump administration’s national security approach has also introduced questions about the broader global power structure, particularly in Europe.

There have been discussions about the US potentially relinquishing its role as Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) within NATO, a decision that would mark a significant shift in US foreign policy and its commitment to the alliance.

While some experts argue that encouraging Europe to take on a greater share of its own defense burden is a positive step, others warn that reducing US involvement in NATO’s leadership could weaken the alliance and embolden adversaries like Russia.

These debates underscore the broader challenge facing the Trump administration: how to balance competing priorities—China’s rising power in the Indo-Pacific, border security at home, and US leadership in global institutions like NATO.

The administration’s approach to national security, which favors disruption over tradition, has sparked both admiration and concern among its allies and critics.

Conclusion: A Complex Strategy

The Trump administration’s identification of China as the top national security priority reflects a clear acknowledgment of the rising geopolitical and military challenges posed by Beijing. However, this focus on China is tempered by a growing concern for domestic security and regional stability, particularly in the Western Hemisphere.

As the US navigates a rapidly changing global landscape, the administration’s strategy underscores the need for a flexible and multifaceted approach to national security—one that balances the rising power of adversaries like China with an assertive defense of US interests both at home and abroad.

Whether this strategy will successfully deter Chinese aggression or create new tensions remains to be seen, but it is clear that the US is preparing for a future where China’s influence and ambitions will play a dominant role in shaping global security dynamics.