US Launches ‘Greater North America’ Strategy for Regional Security
US War Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sunday outlined a new geopolitical framework, naming it the “Greater North America” strategy, describing it as a redefinition of regional security under President Donald Trump’s leadership. During his address, Hegseth articulated that the administration’s strategic vision extends “from Greenland to the Gulf of America to the Panama Canal,” covering all sovereign nations and territories situated north of the equator within a “immediate security perimeter.” Every sovereign nation and territory situated north of the equator, extending from Greenland to Ecuador and from Alaska to Guyana, is excluded from the Global South. “It is an immediate security perimeter in this great neighbourhood that we all live in,” Hegseth said during a conference.
He underscored that geography is fundamental to the doctrine, highlighting natural barriers like the Amazon and the Andes mountains, which he contended delineate northern and southern strategic responsibilities. Hegseth states that the United States will enhance its military posture and presence throughout the northern hemisphere in collaboration with regional partners. He stated, “It is an immediate security perimeter in this great neighbourhood that we all live in.” Every one of these nations shares a border with either the North Atlantic or the North Pacific. Each of these countries is located north of the two fundamental geographic barriers that define this region: the Amazon and the Andes mountains.
He stated, “In the north, the United States must enhance posture and presence in cooperation with you and our sovereign partners to defend our shared immediate security perimeter.” Simultaneously, Hegseth signaled a change in expectations for nations located south of the equator, advocating for enhanced “burden sharing” to ensure the security of the South Atlantic and South Pacific areas, along with vital infrastructure and resources. In the southern region, specifically south of the equator, on the opposite side of this vast community, we will enhance collaborations by promoting greater burden sharing.
“This will enable you to take a greater role in defending the South Atlantic and the South Pacific and to secure critical infrastructure and resources in partnership with us and other Western nations,” Hegseth said. The War Secretary made comparisons to World War II, referencing a resurgence of a “Quarter Sphere Defence” strategy. He stated, “This is what we did in World War II.” Similar to how we sank ships with torpedoes during World War II, at the Department of War, we refer to it as the Quarter Sphere Defence. And we shall undertake this once more.
