U.S. National Security Strategy (General Framework)

Here’s an overview of the United States’ national security policy and strategy toward Pakistan, Greenland, and Venezuela under the current (2025-26) administration — based on official strategy documents and reporting on major developments.

U.S. National Security Strategy (General Framework)

The U.S. publishes a National Security Strategy (NSS) that frames its broad priorities. The most recent NSS (released December 2025) emphasizes:

Protection of core U.S. interests, especially security of the homeland and economic strength.

A shift toward securing dominance in the Western Hemisphere and limiting influence of external rivals (notably China and Russia) near U.S. borders.

A focus on resource security and strategic geography, alongside maintaining military readiness and technological superiority.

This NSS represents a departure from recent strategic documents by prioritising immediate continental security concerns and giving greater weight to military and geopolitical influence near U.S. territory.

Policy Towards Pakistan

Strategic Context

Pakistan historically has been a security partner, receiving U.S. military cooperation and designation as a “Major Non-NATO Ally” in past administrations, reflecting collaboration in counterterrorism and regional stability.

Contemporary Dynamics

Counterterrorism and regional security: U.S. policy has focused on cooperation against extremist groups and managing security along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

Nuclear and strategic balance: Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal and its relations with China and India remain key strategic considerations for Washington.

Partnership tensions: There are periodic debates in the U.S. Congress about revisiting Pakistan’s allied status due to concerns over counterterrorism and regional policy.

Policy Goals

Overall, U.S. policy toward Pakistan balances security cooperation (especially counterterrorism) with strategic caution regarding Islamabad’s regional alignments, particularly with China.

U.S. Policy Toward Greenland

Strategic Importance

Greenland — a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark — occupies a high strategic position in the Arctic:

Hosts critical U.S. missile warning and early-defense infrastructure (e.g., Pituffik Space Base).

Sits between Europe and North America, important for missile defense and Arctic security.

Current Policy Direction

Under the current administration:

Senior U.S. officials have explicitly labelled securing Greenland as a “national security priority”, citing threats from Russia and China in the Arctic.

The White House has said military options remain “always an option” in pursuit of strategic goals, though European officials strongly reject any attempt to take sovereignty.

Key Elements

Geopolitical competition: The U.S. narrative frames the Arctic as a theatre of great-power competition requiring firm control of key territories.

Allied tension: Denmark — and NATO partners — oppose any forceful U.S. claim, underscoring a rift between U.S. rhetoric and alliance norms.

Policy Status

There is no formal U.S. policy of annexation, but rhetoric and strategic documents increasingly place Greenland at the centre of U.S. northern defense strategy.

U.S. Policy Toward Venezuela

Recent Actions

The U.S. recently conducted a military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and a blockade and seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers under U.S. sanction policy.

Strategic Rationale

U.S. policy toward Venezuela now strongly reflects a monroe-doctrine-style posture, asserting that the Western Hemisphere should remain under U.S. influence and away from rival actors (e.g., Russia and Iran).

Core Elements

Security and influence: The U.S. frames its actions as dismantling “narco-terror” and external influence while consolidating control over the region’s largest oil reserves.

Military engagement: Operations have included naval blockades and cooperative agreements with allied Latin American states under the banner of combating illicit networks.

Critiques

International observers see these moves as returning to a more assertive U.S. sphere-of-influence strategy with less emphasis on multilateral law and more on direct strategic control.

📌 Summary of U.S. National Security Policy Trends

Country/Region Main U.S. Approach Strategic Focus

Pakistan Security cooperation with caution Counterterrorism, regional stability

Greenland Strategic priority with strong rhetoric Arctic defense and resource access

Venezuela Assertive intervention and influence Hemisphere dominance and resource control