U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance told graduates of the Naval Academy in Annapolis that President Donald Trump will ensure American military forces intervene abroad only when clear and defined objectives are in place.
“We don’t ignore threats,” Vance said. “But we approach them with discipline. If we’re sending you to war, we do it with a very specific set of goals in mind.”
Model: Swift, Decisive Strikes
As an example of Trump’s military doctrine, Vance pointed to the recent airstrike against Houthi rebels in Yemen, which Trump ordered and quickly halted—leaving its overall strategic impact uncertain.
“That’s how military power should be used—decisively and with a clear objective,” Vance emphasized.
Criticism of Past Wars
Vance criticized previous U.S. interventions, saying they often lacked direction and led to open-ended conflicts, referencing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
A New Military Doctrine?
This signals a shift in U.S. military strategy under Trump: less long-term ground presence and more targeted, short-term operations aimed at specific outcomes. Analysts suggest this approach could reduce U.S. entanglements abroad while maintaining military pressure through precision strikes.
