U.S. Defense Security and Strategic Transformation Blueprint: Presidential Transition Project

Key Chapter Title List

1. Department of Defense Policy (DOD POLICY)
2. Needed Reforms
3. Department of Defense Acquisition and Sustainment (DOD ACQUISITION AND SUSTAINMENT)
4. Department of Defense Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (DOD RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST, AND EVALUATION)
5. Department of Defense Foreign Military Sales (DOD FOREIGN MILITARY SALES)
6. Department of Defense Personnel (DOD PERSONNEL)
7. Department of Defense Intelligence (DOD INTELLIGENCE)
8. U.S. Army (U.S. ARMY)
9. U.S. Navy (U.S. NAVY)
10. U.S. Air Force (U.S. AIR FORCE)
11. Nuclear Deterrence (NUCLEAR DETERRENCE)
12. Missile Defense (MISSILE DEFENSE)

Document Introduction

The U.S. Constitution grants the federal government the core responsibility of "providing for the common defense." The Department of Defense, as the largest federal agency, employs nearly 3 million active-duty and civilian personnel with an annual budget of approximately $850 billion, accounting for over 50% of government discretionary spending. However, the agency is facing severe challenges: chronic misuse, a two-tiered accountability culture, wasteful spending, frequent changes in security policies, lax program execution discipline, coupled with factors such as the Biden administration's equity agenda and vaccine mandates, have led to a significant decline in its credibility and combat effectiveness. The disastrous consequences of the Afghanistan withdrawal, strategic confusion regarding China, politicization of senior military officers, and ambiguous military mission definitions highlight the dangerous erosion of U.S. defense capabilities and national will.

The report points out that the nature of warfare is undergoing profound transformation. The democratization of technology and the blurring of temporal and spatial boundaries require the United States to make significant adjustments in its defense, deterrence, and operational methods. In the context of intensified great power competition, China is explicitly defined as the primary threat to U.S. security, freedom, and prosperity. Its military expansion and nuclear force development pose serious challenges to the United States and its allies, while threats from Russia, Iran, North Korea, and transnational terrorism also cannot be ignored. To this end, the report establishes four core priorities: rebuilding a command accountability and non-political, combat-oriented culture; building a military force structure adapted to great power competition; supporting Department of Homeland Security border protection operations; and strengthening fiscal transparency and accountability.

The report is rigorously structured, covering multiple core areas including defense policy, acquisition and sustainment, research and development testing, foreign military sales, personnel management, and intelligence systems. It also proposes detailed reform pathways for specific branches: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, Cyber Command, and Special Operations Forces. At the policy level, it emphasizes a "denial defense" approach to counter the Chinese threat, particularly in ensuring the security of Taiwan and allies in the First Island Chain. In terms of force building, it advocates for nuclear force modernization and expansion, burden-sharing of defense responsibilities with allies, and strengthening the defense industrial base. In management mechanisms, it focuses on budget process reform, acquisition efficiency improvement, and personnel recruitment and retention optimization.

Based on a comprehensive assessment of the current state of the U.S. defense system, the reform recommendations proposed in the report are both strategic and actionable. They focus not only on technological innovation and equipment upgrades but also on cultural reshaping and institutional improvement. The core objective is to restore U.S. military superiority and ensure the protection of core national interests in great power competition through systemic reform. It provides a comprehensive blueprint and action guide for defense policy formulation following the 2025 presidential transition, holding significant reference value for understanding the future direction of U.S. defense strategy.