Tensions in global security strategy are escalating as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declares the end of America’s “utopian idealism,” unveiling a sweeping military shift that prioritizes the Western Hemisphere and reduces U.S. commitments abroad. Speaking at the Reagan Defense Forum, Hegseth delivered a blistering critique of decades of foreign policy while outlining a new doctrine centered on “hard-nosed realism.” br br The overhaul emphasizes stronger border defense, a rebalanced approach to China, and demands that European allies take responsibility for their own security. The announcement comes amid a controversial Caribbean military campaign that has destroyed more than 20 suspected drug-running vessels and raised legal and ethical questions in Washington. With a trillion-dollar defense budget, new investments in ships, drones, and air defense systems, and a strategic pivot away from interventionism, the administration’s new course signals a dramatic redefinition of U.S. global power.