U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, led a hearing on the Department of Defense’s 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS) in Washington. The session included questioning of Elbridge Colby, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, regarding how the new strategy will influence U.S. defense policy.
Senator Wicker opened the hearing by emphasizing the significance of this year’s NDS amid ongoing global tensions. He referenced Russia’s continued military actions in Europe and recent U.S. strikes against Iran, as well as China’s growing military presence in the Indo-Pacific region.
“These uncertain times call for strong U.S. leadership, a crystal-clear articulation of the threats we face, and a prioritized set of achievable objectives for how we will defend our interests,” said Wicker during his opening statement.
He acknowledged similarities between the current NDS and previous strategies, particularly their focus on homeland defense and identifying China as a central challenge to U.S. interests. “There are certainly parallels between the 2018 and 2026 versions of the NDS: for example, the prioritization of homeland defense, the identification of China as the pacing threat, and the importance of equitable burden sharing with our allies,” he stated.
Wicker also raised concerns about what he described as shortcomings in addressing coordinated threats from adversaries such as Russia, China, and Iran. He noted that while allies have increased their defense spending following calls from President Trump—urging them to allocate 5% of GDP to defense—he believes more needs to be done regarding support for Ukraine and strategic clarity toward other regions.
“In my view, the NDS essentially ignores the implications of the war in Ukraine to U.S. security,” Wicker said. He added that there is not enough emphasis on providing new types of weapons to Ukraine or addressing America’s role in denying benefits from Russian aggression.
The senator further critiqued omissions related to U.S. interests in both Taiwan and nuclear deterrence: “But the unclassified NDS does not mention Taiwan at all… This seems to be an example of what the NDS calls a ‘strong but not unnecessarily confrontational’ posture toward Beijing.” On nuclear issues he stated: “The lack of any significant statement on these developments raises the question are we ignoring the existential dangers that China, Russia, and North Korea pose to our way of life.”
Despite his criticisms, Wicker concluded by noting positive aspects within this year’s strategy document but called for ongoing collaboration: “It is my hope that moving forward we can work together to build and implement a living strategy… particularly as we seek to execute a $1.5 trillion budget that will rebuild our military for a generation.”
Senator Wicker serves as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee according to his official website. He represents Mississippi (source) and has played roles in advancing naval capabilities through legislation such as authoring the SHIPS Act (source). In addition to his work on national security matters highlighted at this hearing, he co-founded initiatives like the Senate Malaria and Neglected Tropical Disease Caucus (source), sits on boards including that overseeing Merchant Marine Academy affairs (source), and has been recognized by organizations such as The National Association Of Manufacturers (source).
