Statement From Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on Release of National Security Strategy > U.S. Department of Defense > Release
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Immediate Release

Statement From Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on Release of National Security Strategy

I warmly welcome the release of President Biden’s National Security Strategy, which outlines how the United States will tackle this century’s shared security challenges at home and abroad.

As we confront strategic competitors and threatening and coercive behavior, the strategy prioritizes the People’s Republic of China as our most consequential geopolitical challenge while also standing up to an increasingly aggressive Russia. We will rely on integrated deterrence, as detailed in the Department’s National Defense Strategy, which will soon be released in unclassified form. We will seamlessly combine our capabilities to convince potential adversaries that the costs of their hostile activities far outweigh any possible benefits—in all theaters, in all domains, and across the spectrum of potential conflict. Meanwhile, we will continue to move boldly to strengthen and modernize our outstanding military, which provides the foundation of deterrence and makes clear our ability to prevail in conflict. 

I look forward to working alongside the men and women of the Defense Department and with our interagency partners across the U.S. government to implement the National Security Strategy and move together toward a brighter, more secure future for America and the world.