Oct. 5 (UPI) — President Donald Trump approved a new counterterrorism strategy with a focus on combating terrorism and terrorist ideology, administration officials said Thursday.
The National Strategy for Counterterrorism was billed as the United States’ first “robust and fully articulated” strategy on counterterrorism since 2011, which the White House said builds on lessons learned from past counterterrorism efforts while offering a “new path” to security.
“The National Strategy for Counterterrorism recognizes the full range of terrorist threats that the United States confronts within and beyond our borders, and emphasizes the use of all elements of national power to combat terrorism and terrorist ideologies,” Trump said in the introduction to the plan.
Trump added the plan enhances the emphasis on targeting terrorist networks and denying their ability to mobilize, finance, travel, communicate and inspire new followers.
The strategy focuses on pursuing terrorists to their source, isolating terrorists from their sources of support, and modernizing and integrating the United States’ counterterrorism tools.
It also looks to protect U.S. infrastructure and enhancing resilience, counterterrorist radicalization and recruitment and the counterterrorism abilities of U.S. allies.
The strategy employs an “America first” ideology, emphasizing the strengthening of borders and security at points of entry.
Despite the ideology, the United States will also look to extend partnerships with allied nations and encourage them to assist in counterterrorism activities, including by working with North Atlantic Treaty Organization partners.
U.S. government agencies such as law enforcement, diplomatic and treasury officials are also expected to play “important roles” in the strategy, the White House said.
National security adviser John Bolton, who briefed reporters on the strategy Thursday, said the strategy doesn’t list specific resources that will be needed, but added it will inform the fiscal year 2020 budget proposal, The Hill reported.
