SECRETARY
OF
DEFENSE
1
000
DEFENSE
PENTAGON
WASHINGTON
,
DC
20301-1000
MAY
O 1
2025
MEMORANDUM FOR ALL DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE PERSONNEL
SUBJECT: National Defense Strategy
This memorandum provides my guidance to develop the National Defense Strategy
(NDS).
The NOS
is
the single most important document to ensure the Department is operating
in
accordance with the President's and my intent. In order to drive urgent action on President
Trump's imperatives to put America First and achieve Peace Through Strength, the NDS process
will commence immediately, using the 2025 Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance as its
basis and framework.
The Under Secretary
of
Defense for Policy will lead the NDS process, with review and
feedback from across the Department's Components at the principal level. The NOS drafting
team will be led
by
Policy with a Joint Staff deputy. In addition, each
of
the Services will
provide a strategist at the O-6/GS -l 5 level to the NDS drafting team.
All DoD Components should be maximally responsive to the NOS drafting team
throughout the process. In order to rapidly drive change toward
an
America First defense
strateg
y,
I have directed that a final draft
of
the NDS be provided to me
no
later than August
31
,
2025.
This is a time
of
great danger, but we will meet
it.
DoD will deliver on the President's
charge to achieve Peace Through Strength. There is
no
time to lose.
OSD07043 7-25/CM D005909-25
