January 20, 2025

The First 100 Days

By: Richard Fontaine, Geoffrey Gertz, Emily Kilcrease, Janet Egan, Paul Scharre, Vivek Chilukuri, Sam Howell, Constanza M. Vidal Bustamante, Stacie Pettyjohn, Carlton Haelig, Becca Wasser, Josh Wallin, Jacob Stokes, Lisa Curtis, Katherine L. Kuzminski, Carrie Cordero, Jonathan Lord and Jim Townsend

A message from Richard Fontaine, Chief Executive Officer, CNAS

As crowds gather for the inauguration of President Donald J. Trump, America faces both significant challenges and substantial opportunities over the next four years.

As I write in Foreign Affairs, presidential transitions—no matter how distinct the political shift—are defined as much by continuity as by change. A new administration brings in fresh priorities and perspectives, but the underlying drivers of U.S. national security policy remain. President Trump takes office in the context of enduring American interests and values but amid a world in significant upheaval.

The Middle East has undergone more dramatic reordering over the past year than at any time in at least a decade. Russia's war against Ukraine grinds on and has helped catalyze an Axis of Upheaval in which Moscow, Beijing, Tehran, and Pyongyang work together. Tensions with China loom over Taiwan and the South China Sea, and longstanding U.S. alliances are both vital and likely to be under strain. At the same time, technology is reshaping geopolitical and economic life at enormous speed. Into this rapidly changing world, a new U.S. administration assumes responsibility.

In light of these realities, experts from the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) issued their recommendations for The First 100 Days, a blueprint to help the new administration navigate national security challenges from day one.

Releasing this collection on Inauguration Day, our experts at CNAS intend to provide practical, bipartisan recommendations across a spectrum of issues. The First 100 Days reflects the expertise and deep research the Center’s experts bring to national security policy.

I encourage you to explore these papers. Join us in working to ensure that America is prepared to address the global challenges that lie ahead.

Set the Tone, Establish Policy, Hire Personnel—And Prepare for Crisis

President Donald Trump enters office at a critical moment and faces multiple crises...

Publish an Economic Security Strategy

The Trump administration should publish an official economic security strategy that sets a vision for the U.S. role in the global economy...

Launch Economic Security Agreements

The Trump administration should launch a new type of trade agreement to advance shared economic security objectives with close U.S. partners...

Articulate a Clear Tariff Roadmap

The administration should develop a tariff roadmap that defines and prioritizes the policy goals that tariffs are intended to advance.The administration should have specific, ...

Promote and Protect America’s AI Advantage

The Trump administration should ensure that breakthrough capabilities in artificial intelligence (AI) are developed in the United States and keep China from fully narrowing th...

Make America the Biopower

No country has a better biotechnology hand than America. The administration has a historic opportunity to play it wisely and secure the United States’ position as the 21st cen...

Secure America’s Tech Competitiveness

The Trump administration must bolster America’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce and broader technological competitiveness—documented shortag...

Accelerate America’s Quantum Technology Leadership

As the U.S.-China competition for quantum technology leadership continues to intensify, the Trump administration should prioritize both advancing and protecting the country’s ...

Build a High-Low Mix to Enhance America’s Warfighting Edge and Deter China

The Trump administration can take immediate actions to improve U.S. military capability, capacity, and warfighting to deter China and reverse negative trends in military power...

Articulate a Comprehensive, Coherent China Strategy

President Trump should articulate a comprehensive, coherent China strategy that addresses U.S. objectives, the ways and means to achieve them, and how the strategy can mitigat...

Hold a Quad Summit

President Trump should hold a Quad summit during his first 100 days in office to demonstrate the administration’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific region.Australia, India, Japan...

Tackle the Military Recruiting Crisis

The Trump administration should drive a whole-of-government approach to address the military recruiting crisis and ensure that the nation has the quality force necessary to de...

Coordinate the Interagency to Counter Malign Foreign Influence

The Trump administration should designate a senior member of the National Security Council staff as a coordinator of federal government efforts to counter malign foreign influ...

Convene the E3 to Address the Iranian Nuclear Threat

In its first 100 days, the Trump administration should convene the United Kingdom (UK), France, and Germany—the E3—to coordinate a strategy for dealing with Iran’s nuclear pro...

Address NATO at the Munich Security Conference

President Trump has an opportunity to address tensions with NATO at the Munich Security Conference.While he should articulate his grievances, he also should lay out his requir...

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Authors

Richard Fontaine

Chief Executive Officer

Richard Fontaine is the chief executive officer of the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). He served as president of CNAS from 2012–19 and as senior fellow from 2009–12...
Geoffrey Gertz

Senior Fellow, Energy, Economics & Security Program

Geoffrey Gertz is a senior fellow with the Energy, Economics, and Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). His research focuses on economic tools for...
Emily Kilcrease

Senior Fellow and Director, Energy, Economics and Security Program

Emily Kilcrease is a senior fellow and director of the Energy, Economics, and Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). Her research focuses on the U....
Janet Egan

Senior Fellow, Technology and National Security Program

Janet Egan is a senior fellow with the Technology and National Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). Her research focuses on the national security...
Paul Scharre

Executive Vice President and Director of Studies

Paul Scharre is the executive vice president and director of studies at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). He is the award-winning author of Four Battlegrounds: Po...
Vivek Chilukuri

Senior Fellow and Director, Technology and National Security Program

Vivek Chilukuri is the senior fellow and program director of the Technology and National Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). His areas of focus ...
Sam Howell

Associate Fellow, Technology and National Security Program

Sam Howell is an associate fellow with the Technology and National Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). Her research interests include quantum in...
Constanza M. Vidal Bustamante

Fellow, Technology and National Security Program

Constanza M. Vidal Bustamante, PhD, is a fellow with the Technology and National Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), where she leads the Center’...
Stacie Pettyjohn

Senior Fellow and Director, Defense Program

Stacie Pettyjohn is a senior fellow and director of the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). Her areas of expertise include defense strategy, post...
Carlton Haelig

Fellow, Defense Program

Carlton Haelig is a fellow with the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). His research and expertise include national security strategy, force desi...
Becca Wasser

Senior Fellow and Deputy Director, Defense Program

Becca Wasser is a senior fellow and deputy director of the Defense Program and lead of The Gaming Lab at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). Her research areas incl...
Josh Wallin

Fellow, Defense Program

Josh Wallin is a fellow with the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). His research forms part of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety and Stabi...
Jacob Stokes

Senior Fellow and Deputy Director, Indo-Pacific Security Program

Jacob Stokes is a senior fellow and deputy director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), where his work focuses on U.S.-China...
Lisa Curtis

Senior Fellow and Director, Indo-Pacific Security Program

Lisa Curtis is a senior fellow and director of the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). She is a foreign policy and national securit...
Katherine L. Kuzminski

Deputy Director of Studies, Director, Military, Veterans, and Society Program

Katherine L. Kuzminski (formerly Kidder) is the deputy director of studies and the director of the Military, Veterans, and Society (MVS) Program at the Center for a New Americ...
Carrie Cordero

Robert M. Gates Senior Fellow and General Counsel

Carrie Cordero is Robert M. Gates senior fellow and general counsel at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). In her research capacity, she leads the CNAS Securing U.S...
Jonathan Lord

Senior Fellow and Director, Middle East Security Program

Jonathan Lord is a senior fellow and director of the Middle East Security Program at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). Prior to joining CNAS, Lord served as a pro...
Jim Townsend

Adjunct Senior Fellow, Transatlantic Security Program

James Joye Townsend Jr. is an adjunct senior fellow in the CNAS Transatlantic Security Program. After eight years as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (DASD) for European ...

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