National Security Strategy between Trump and Biden

NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY BETWEEN TRUMP AND BIDEN
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National Security Strategy between Trump and Biden
The National Security Strategies of the Trump and Biden administrations differ significantly due to the varied worldview on national interests and perceptions of the international security environment. The differences manifest in the aspects of national interests and security that both presidents prioritize. This essay classifies the strategies regarding world view and how both presidents frame national interest. Additionally, the ends sought in the 2017 and 2021 documents on security strategies will be explored.
One significant difference between Trump's and Biden's world views manifests in how they conceptualize security. The term national security can be ambiguous, especially when used without specifications (Baldwin 1997, 12). As a result, both Biden and Trump differ in defining national interests and security priorities. Trump believed that the security of American citizens is threatened by the porous borders, which allow criminals and drug cartels to bring danger to the country. As a result, restrictive approaches become the primary strategic priorities for his administration, as reflected in the 2017 US National Security Strategy from the Trump Administration. In this document, securing the US border and territory becomes a top priority (Trump 2017, 8). Biden does not see porous borders as a significant problem. On the contrary, he perceived security concerns as arising from dying democracy and falling out with partners and allies. As a result, the 2021 Interim National Security Strategic Guidance from the Biden administration prioritizes security issues that respect no borders, including infectious diseases, violent crime, disinformation, and cyberattacks (Biden 2021, 9). Therefore, both Administrations have different approaches to framing national security based on what each president believes to be of more significant concern.
Another difference between the two administrations regarding how they frame the national interests emanates from their world views on the state and its place on the map. Trump seems to define America as a white Northern European stock constituting most of the population from settlement until recently. From this worldview, Trump is likely to perceive national interests in a manner that advocates restricting immigration and citizenship (Lebow 2020, 174). Trump’s idea of making America great again means making the country a superpower that does not have to face competition for this position. Biden seems to adopt the world view that America is an immigrant nation characterized by openness to the assimilation of newcomers. In such a case, the national interest is constructed to support continued immigration since the assimilation of hard-working and upwardly mobile newcomers becomes a critical source of national strength and pride. Such openness also means that Biden focuses not exclusively on America&r...