In the United States, every president is required to publish a National Security Strategy (NSS). The one released by the Trump administration in November 2025 was openly partisan and focused on Washington’s interests in line with the “America First” doctrine, which clashed with many European officials reminiscing about the time of Joe Biden. However, comparing the “Made in Trump” NSS with the Biden administration’s version shows more continuity between the two documents than previously believed, even though a major distinction arises on the underlying ideology.
The National Security Strategy of the United States published in November 2025 by the Trump administration sparked much discussion, with some even talking about a “divorce” from Europe, hinting at a separation of interests. The previous version released in October 2022 by the Biden administration marked a significant departure on several fronts. The tone played a significant role – Biden’s document was smoother and friendlier, compared to the crude nature of Trump’s administration. However, looking beyond the form and analyzing the content, both ruptures and continuities are displayed in more nuanced colors.
Geopolitical Visions Closer Than Expected
Both Democratic and Republican presidents, with their administrations, show significant continuity in ending economic globalization and free trade, while prioritizing U.S. interests globally.
The 2022 NSS criticized the thirty-year economic globalization orthodoxy and highlighted the issue of decoupling between China and the United States for strategic products. Economic security is now an integral part of national security.
The domestic message emphasized the return of the state in the economy, promoting industrial strategy and modern innovation, strategic public investments, and using public procurement to preserve technological leadership. The NSS 2025 reinforces the fundamental role of economic security for national security, highlighting perfect continuity.
Geographical prioritization is also consistent between the two NSS documents, focusing on the importance of the Indo-Pacific over Europe and emphasizing the Americas’ significance.
The concentration on China by Washington shifts responsibility to Europe to take charge of its security, balancing strategically against Russia. This emphasis appears prominently in the NSS 2025, reinforcing the Monroe Doctrine with challenges to external competitors in the Americas.
Ideological Disagreements
The presidents diverge on democratic values and the international system, including climate issues.
The 2022 NSS affirmed unwavering U.S. support for democracy and human rights internationally, while displaying openness to partnerships based on international rules defined in the UN Charter. In contrast, the 2025 NSS emphasizes “America First,” non-interventionism, and adaptive realism, posing significant differences in ideological values.
Additionally, the 2025 NSS redefines democracy more in line with American civilizational values, presenting a marked departure from the alignment with transnational organizations seen in the 2022 NSS.
The NSS 2025 and Europe
The section on Europe in the 2025 NSS faced criticism in European media for its condescending tone, but the focus was not solely on Europe as a geographic entity. The Trump administration made a fundamental distinction between nations aligning with American democratic values and the EU, which was targeted for being a harmful counterforce.
The 2025 NSS embodies a bipartisan consensus on strategic challenges facing the U.S. and operational responses, aligning with the continuity of the text published by the Biden administration in 2022. However, a fundamental divergence remains regarding the values needed to address these challenges, as highlighted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio during the Munich conference in February 2026.
