The Compound Era of U.S. Counterterrorism

For more than 15 years after 9/11, counterterrorism served as the preeminent concern and orientation point for U.S. national security. That era is over.

The United States has prioritized and shifted focus toward great power rivalry and interstate competition, with strategic emphasis placed on countering threats posed by China, Russia, and Iran. Counterterrorism, due to the persistent and ongoing threat of terrorism, remains a priority, but for the U.S. government it is now a second-tier one.