Section 2: The Common Defense

The complete series can be read here:

Project 2025: Just Facts, No Hype

Section 1: Taking the Reins of Government

Section 2: The Common Defense

Section 3: The General Welfare

Section 4: The Economy

Section 5: Independent Regulatory Agencies


The section emphasizes a strong executive approach to national defense with several key priorities:

  1. Military Readiness
    The document calls for restoring “warfighting as [the military’s] sole mission”, prioritizing combat effectiveness over social policies or non-defense matters.
  2. Focus on China
    Defeating the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party is set as the highest priority for the military.
  3. Officer Promotions
    The section advocates for reviewing general and flag officer promotions to ensure they align with core military responsibilities rather than social engineering or non-defense matters.
  4. Reducing Non-Military Influences
    There’s a push to minimize the impact of issues like climate change, critical race theory, and other policies deemed to weaken the armed forces or discourage enlistment.
  5. Missile Defense and Counterterrorism
    While not explicitly detailed, the section implies a focus on enhancing these capabilities.
  6. Executive Authority
    The document emphasizes a strong executive role in shaping national defense policy and priorities.

This approach to national defense could significantly affect U.S. democracy in several ways:

  1. It may lead to a more centralized decision-making process in national security matters, potentially reducing the influence of Congress and other stakeholders.
  2. The focus on traditional military priorities could result in reduced emphasis on newer challenges like cybersecurity or climate-related threats.
  3. The strong stance against “social engineering” in the military might lead to tensions over issues of diversity and inclusion within the armed forces.
  4. The prioritization of China as a threat could shape U.S. foreign policy and international relations more broadly.
  5. The emphasis on executive authority in defense matters could potentially alter the balance of power between different branches of government.

Overall, this section proposes a more assertive, traditionally-focused approach to national defense, with potential implications for both domestic policy and international relations.