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National Policy

Trump Executive Orders / Memoranda

• NATIONAL SECURITY PRESIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM/NSPM-2: Imposing Maximum Pressure on the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Denying Iran All Paths to a Nuclear Weapon, and Countering Iran's Malign Influence 04 Feb 2025

Biden Executive Orders / Memoranda

• Memorandum on the Revocation of National Security Presidential Memorandum 5 14 Jan 2025
• Memorandum on United States Conventional Arms Transfer Policy The White House 23 Feb 2023
• Memorandum on Promoting Accountability for Conflict-Related Sexual Violence The White House28 Nov 2022
• Executive Order on Ensuring Robust Consideration of Evolving National Security Risks by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States The White House 15 Sep 2022
• Memorandum on Improving the Cybersecurity of National Security, Department of Defense, and Intelligence Community Systems The White House 19 Jan 2022
• Memorandum on Renewing the National Security Council System 04 Feb 2021

Trump Executive Orders / Memoranda

• Presidential Memorandum Organization of the National Security Council and the Homeland Security Council 28 Jan 2017
• Presidential Memorandum Plan to Defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria 28 Jan 2017

• National Resilience Strategy 18 Jan 2025
• U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa The White House Aug 2022
• White House Action Plan on Global Water Security The White House 01 Jun 2022
• INDO-PACIFIC STRATEGY OF THE UNITED STATES The White House Feb 2022
• Strategic Approach for Arctic Homeland Security DHS 13 Jan 2021 -- The Arctic’s expanded relevance, coupled with the Department’s significant regional investments, requires DHS to have a unified, deliberate, and forward-looking approach. The Strategic Approach for Arctic Homeland Security fully leverages the broad range of DHS authorities, capabilities, capacity and partnerships to achieve the goals laid out in this document.
• DHS Strategic Action Plan to Counter the Threat Posed by the People’s Republic of China - Defending the Homeland in the Era of Great Power Competition DHS 12 Jan 2021 -- The DHS Strategic Action Plan to Counter the Threat Posed by the People’s Republic of China describes how the Department will continue to leverage the entire Homeland Security Enterprise to respond to the myriad threats posed by the Beijing regime to the American people.
• United States Strategic Framework for the Indo-Pacific Feb 2018, Declassified and released 12 Jan 2021
• 2022 Prologue to the United States Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability DoD/DoS/Treasury 01 Apr 2022
• U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability DoD/DoS/Treasury 18 Dec 2020
• National Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technologies The White House 15 Oct 2020
• United States Strategy on Women, Peace, and Security The White House 11 Jun 2019
• FACT SHEET: Executive Order on the US Policy on Pre & Post-Strike Measures to Address Civilian Casualties in the US Operations Involving the Use of Force & the DNI Release of Aggregate Data on Strike Outside Area of Active Hostilities The White House 01 Jul 2016
• U.S. Policy Standards and Procedures for the Use of Force in Counterterrorism Operations Outside the United States and Areas of Active Hostilities The White House Released 23 May 2013
• Presidential Policy Guidance on Drones 22 May 2013 The White House released a redacted version of President Barack Obama's once-secret policy on using drone aircraft to combat terrorists around the world. The 18-page document listing "presidential policy guidance" on the drones issue was released in response to a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union [ACLU] under the Freedom of Information Act.
• Presidential Policy Directive 27: United States Conventional Arms Transfer Policy The White House 15 Jan 2014 -- "United States conventional arms transfer policy supports transfers that meet legitimate security requirements of our allies and partners in support of our national security and foreign policy interests. At the same time, the policy promotes restraint, both by the United States and other suppliers, in transfers of weapons systems that may be destabilizing or dangerous to international peace and security."
• Countering Improvised Explosive Devices The White House Released 26 Feb 2013 -- "We have no greater responsibility than providing for the safety and security for our citizens, allies, and partners, while providing an economic environment that promotes opportunity and prosperity. The use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) threatens these interests by killing, injuring, and intimidating citizens and political leaders around the world, inflicting damage on u.s. forces on the battlefield, and disrupting transportation and the flow of commerce ."

China

• United States Strategic Approach to The People’s Republic of China The White House 20 May 2020 -- "Since the United States and the People’s Republic of China (PRC) established diplomatic relations in 1979, United States policy toward the PRC was largely premised on a hope that deepening engagement would spur fundamental economic and political opening in the PRC and lead to its emergence as a constructive and responsible global stakeholder, with a more open society. More than 40 years later, it has become evident that this approach underestimated the will of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to constrain the scope of economic and political reform in China."

Afghanistan

• Enduring Strategic Partnership Agreement between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan 01 May 2012
• White Paper of the Interagency Policy Group's Report on U.S. Policy toward Afghanistan and Pakistan. The White House, 27 March 2009

Iraq

• Strategic Framework Agreement for a Relationship of Friendship and Cooperation between the United States of America and the Republic of Iraq 2008
• National Strategy for Victory in Iraq The White House 30 Nov 2005 -- "The following document articulates the broad strategy the President set forth in 2003 and provides an update on our progress as well as the challenges remaining"

Africa

• US Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa The White House June 2012 [PDF]

Arctic Region

• National Strategy for the Arctic Region The White House May 2013 [PDF]

Piracy

• Countering Piracy Off the Horn of Africa: Partnership & Action Plan National Security Council December 2008 [PDF]

US Foreign Policy

• A Performance-Based Roadmap to a Permanent Two-State Solution to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Department of State 30 Apr 2003 -- The following is a performance-based and goal-driven roadmap, with clear phases, timelines, target dates, and benchmarks aiming at progress through reciprocal steps by the two parties in the political, security, economic, humanitarian, and institution-building fields, under the auspices of the Quartet [the United States, European Union, United Nations, and Russia]. The destination is a final and comprehensive settlement of the Israel-Palestinian conflict by 2005, as presented in President Bush's speech of 24 June, and welcomed by the EU, Russia and the UN in the 16 July and 17 September Quartet Ministerial statements.

Presidential Policy Guidance

• Procedures for Approving Direct Action Against Terrorist Targets Located Outside the United States and Areas of Active Hostilities 22 May 2013 -- "This Presidential Policy Guidance (PPG) establishes the standard operating procedures for when the United States takes direct action, which refers to lethal and non-lethal uses of force, including capture operations against terrorist targets outside the United States and areas of active hostilities."

Defense Doctrine

National Security Strategy Reports

The Biden-Harris Administration's National Security Strategy - October 2022

President Donald Trump's National Security Strategy - December 2017

President Barack Obama's National Security Strategy - February 2015

President George W. Bush's National Security Strategy - March 2006

The National Security Strategy of the United States of America, Submitted to Congress by President George W. Bush, September 2002

A National Security Strategy For A Global Age, Submitted to Congress by President William Jefferson Clinton, December 2000

A National Security Strategy For A New Century, Submitted to Congress by President William Jefferson Clinton, December 1999

A National Security Strategy For A New Century, Submitted to Congress by President William Jefferson Clinton, October 1998

A National Security Strategy For A New Century, Submitted to Congress by President William Jefferson Clinton, May 1997

A National Security Strategy For A New Century, Submitted to Congress by President William Jefferson Clinton, February 1996

A National Security Strategy For A New Century, Submitted to Congress by President William Jefferson Clinton, February 1995

National Security Strategy of the United States, Submitted to Congress by President George H.W. Bush, August 1991

Military Strategy

US Department of Justice - Office of Legal Counsel Opinions

• MEMORANDUM FOR THE FILES - Re: Status of Certain OLC Opinions Issued in the Aftermath of the Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001 15 Jan 2009 -- The purpose of this memorandum is to confirm that certain propositions stated in several opinions issued by the Office of Legal Counsel in 2001-2003 respecting the allocation of authorities between the President and Congress in matters of war and national security do not reflect the current views of this Office. We have previously withdrawn or superseded a number of opinions that depended upon one or more of these propositions. For reasons discussed herein, today we explain why these propositions are not consistent with the current views of OLC, and we advise that caution should be exercised before relying in other respects on the remaining opinions identified below [PDF Version]
• MEMORANDUM FOR THE FILES - Re: October 23, 2001 OLC Opinion Addressing the Domestic Use of Military Force to Combat Terrorist Activities October 6, 2008 [PDF Version]
• MEMORANDUM TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL THROUGH THE DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL - SUBJECT: DETERMINATION OF ENEMY BELLIGERENCY AND MILITARY DETENTION 08 Jun 2002, Released 2 Mar 2009 [PDF Version]

The Opinions below are no longer United States Policy

• Memorandum for Daniel J. Bryant, Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legislative Affairs - Re: Applicability of 18 U.S C. § 4001(a) to Military Detention of United States Citizens 27 Jun 2002, Released 2 Mar 2009 [PDF Version 3.84MB]
• MEMORANDUM FOR DANIEL J. BRYANT, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL, OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS - Re: Swift Justice Authorization Act 08 Apr 2002, Released 02 Mar 2009 [PDF Version 5.94MB]
• Memorandum for William J. Haynes, II, General Counsel, Department of Defense - Re: The President's power as Commander in Chief to transfer captured terrorists to the control and custody of foreign nations 13 Mar 2002, Released 02 Mar 2009 [PDF Version 10.1MB]
• MEMORANDUM FOR ALBERTO R. GONZALES, COUNSEL TO THE PRESIDENT - RE: Authority for Use of Military Force To Combat Terrorist Activities Within the United States October 23, 2001, Released 2 Mar 2009 [PDF Version]

U.S. Dept. of Justice

• Draft White Paper: Lawfulness of a Lethal Operation Directed Against a U.S. Citizen Who Is a Senior Operational Leader of Al-Qa'ida or An Associated Force 08 Nov 2011 Released 08 Feb 2013