America's New Defense Playbook and What It Means for the Indo-Pacific 

On January 23, 2026, the U.S. government released its 2026 National Defense Strategy. The document explicitly identifies defending the U.S. homeland and interests in the Western Hemisphere as the country’s top priority. In the Indo-Pacific, U.S. defense priorities focus on balancing deterrence and peaceful coexistence with China and emphasizing enhanced burden-sharing with regional allies and partners.  

A clear shift from previous administrations, the Trump administration’s pivot toward “critical but limited support” from U.S. forces in the region holds military, political, and strategic implications for allies and partners facing growing threats from North Korea and China. 

Join KEI and the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security (IIPS) to discuss the evolution of U.S. defense priorities in the region and the implications of the newest defense strategy on South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan.  

Agenda 

10:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m. | Fireside Chat with Randall Schriver and Scott Snyder 

10:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m. | Panel Discussion moderated by Jennifer Hong 

Participants

Randall Schriver, Chairman of the Board at The Institute for Indo-Pacific Security

Scott Snyder, President and CEO, Korea Economic Institute of America 

Ellen Kim, Director of Academic Affairs, Korea Economic Institute of America 

Michael Mazza, Senior Director for Research, Institute for Indo-Pacific Security 

Yuki Tatsumi, Senior Director, Institute for Indo-Pacific Security 

Jennifer Hong (Moderator),  Senior Director, Institute for Indo-Pacific Security