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 according to the “America First” doctrine, which faced criticism from many European officials who fondly remember the era of Joe Biden. However, comparing the “Made in Trump” NSS with the Biden administration’s NSS shows more continuity between the two documents than initially believed, despite a major distinction on the underlying ideology.
The National Security Strategy of the United States published in November 2025 by the Trump administration sparked a lot of discussion, with some even talking about a “consummated divorce” in relation to Europe, pending the division of assets. In contrast, its previous version, published in October 2022 by the Biden administration, marked a departure on many points. The tone plays a significant role, with Biden’s administration being more polished and friendly compared to Trump’s administration, which was seen as rough. However, looking beyond the form and analyzing the substance reveals nuances of both continuity and rupture.
Geopolitical Visions Closer than Expected
Both Democratic and Republican presidents, along with their administrations, show significant continuity in terms of ending economic globalization and free trade, and prioritizing U.S. interests globally. The 2022 NSS harshly criticized the impact of economic globalization over the last thirty years, signaling a shift in economic security concerns becoming an integral part of national security.
On the domestic front, the message was a resurgence of the government in the economy through modern industrial and innovation strategies, highlighting strategic public investments for technological supremacy. The 2025 NSS echoes the importance of economic security for national security, reinforcing each underlying theme.
The geographical prioritization between the two NSS also remains consistent, with an emphasis on the Indo-Pacific region over Europe, and increased importance given to the Americas. This concentration reflects Washington’s focus on China and urges Europe to take charge of its security to balance against Russia.
Ideological Divisions
Divergence arises between the two presidents on democratic principles, the international system, and climate issues. The 2022 NSS supported democracy and human rights globally, open to partnerships with states supporting an international order based on UN-defined rules, regardless of their political regimes.
In contrast, the 2025 NSS focuses solely on essential U.S. interests (“America First”), with a predisposition towards non-interventionism and flexible realism, as seen with the stalemate in Venezuela. The understanding of democracy is redefined, emphasizing American values like freedom of expression heavily.
NSS 2025 and Europe
The NSS 2025 section on Europe faced criticism in European media for its condescending tone. However, the Trump administration distinguishes between nations aligned with the U.S. vision of democracy and the EU, seen as a harmful counterbalance to be dismantled. This approach targets the EU as a supranational organization rather than the European continent itself, allowing the U.S. to evaluate bilateral relationships based on ideological trajectories.
The NSS 2025 reflects a bipartisan consensus on strategic challenges and operational responses, building on the continuity set by the Biden administration’s 2022 text. However, it highlights a fundamental divergence on the values to address these challenges, as reiterated by Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Munich Conference in February 2026.
