The U.S. Department of Defense Begins Drafting the 2025 National Defense Strategy and Nominates New Defense Officials: Policy Implications for the Indo-Pacific Region

On May 2, 2025, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced that Deputy Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby would lead the drafting of the 2025 National Defense Strategy (NDS), guided by President Trump’s principles of “Make America Great Again” and “Peace Through Strength.” The NDS 2025 is scheduled for completion by August 31 and will prioritize homeland defense, deterring China in the Indo-Pacific, and enhancing burden-sharing with allies and partners.

 

On June 2, 2025, the DoD nominated several new officials relevant to Indo-Pacific affairs: (i) John Noh as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs; (ii) Alexander Velez-Green as Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy; (iii) Austin Dahmer as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities. All three officials will also contribute to the drafting of the NDS 2025.

 

Observations:

 

1/ Shared backgrounds among the appointees:

 

All three nominees have notable experience in shaping U.S. policy toward China. John Noh previously served as Deputy General Counsel for the U.S. House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party, where he led initiatives focused on U.S. and allied strategies in the Indo-Pacific, including the defense of the “Second Island Chain.”

 

Alexander Velez-Green was a senior advisor to Deputy Secretary Colby and a senior policy advisor at the Heritage Foundation, where he published extensively on U.S. deterrence posture in regions such as the Indo-Pacific and the military and nuclear threats posed by China.

 

Austin Dahmer, as National Security Advisor to Senator Josh Hawley (2023–2025), concentrated on the U.S.-China military balance in the Indo-Pacific and assessed U.S. capabilities on regional issues, including Taiwan.

 

Moreover, two of the three nominees previously held fellowships at leading think tanks such as the Marathon Initiative, RAND Corporation, and the Heritage Foundation. Notably, the Marathon Initiative was co-founded by Elbridge Colby.

 

2/ Policy implications of shared professional trajectories:

 

The 2025 NDS is likely to adopt a more assertive stance toward China, as all nominated officials involved in its formulation (pending Senate confirmation) have backgrounds in China policy research and development, often reflecting hawkish perspectives. This approach aligns with the DoD’s recent policy rhetoric toward the region.

 

An emerging “Asia team” composed largely of scholar-practitioners with long-term engagement in regional affairs may contribute to a more coherent and comprehensive U.S. strategy - not only toward China but also in managing relations with other Indo-Pacific partners.