A confidential Pentagon document has been disclosed, revealing that the U.S. may not come to Europe's aid in the event of a Russian attack. The internal memo from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is said to prioritise deterring China's ambitions over Taiwan and bolstering defense measures on U.S. soil.

, parts of the memo are strikingly similar to a publication by a conservative think tank involved with Project 2025, almost mirroring it word for word.

The memo outlines Hegseth's stance that America is unlikely to offer significant support to Europe against Russian aggression. It highlights an expectation for NATO allies to assume the primary role in defending their territory.

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The United States, the guidance suggests, will provide nuclear deterrence against but will only commit forces that are not essential for homeland security or missions related to , reports .

The document underscores the importance of increased defense contributions from European nations, stating that this "will also ensure NATO can reliably deter or defeat Russian aggression even if deterrence fails and the United States is already engaged in, or must withhold forces to deter, a primary conflict in another region."

The latest memo aligns the Pentagon's strategy with President Trump's global security concerns, particularly highlighting undefined threats from the "near abroad". In the document, Trump insists that U.S. forces must be "ready to defend American interests wherever they might be threatened in our hemisphere, from Greenland, to the Panama Canal, to Cape Horn."

On Friday, March 28, Trump's declaration "we have to have Greenland" ramped up tensions with Denmark, a NATO ally responsible for the autonomous island's foreign affairs and defence.

The interim guidance spans nine pages and bears striking resemblances to a more extensive report set for 2024 by the Heritage Foundation, with several sections appearing almost verbatim when compared by The Washington Post.

The Heritage Foundation has not responded to The Washington Post's request for a statement.