Revisionist Powers Use Hybrid Warfare to Undermine U.S. Influence

A coordinated group of revisionist powers, including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, is executing a strategy of hybrid or gray-zone warfare designed to undermine United States global influence. These actors avoid triggering large-scale domestic public reactions by operating below the threshold of open conflict, instead utilizing increased cooperation and asymmetric tactics.

Recent efforts include the flow of North Korean soldiers and war materiel to Russia, as well as the deployment of Iranian drones to support Russian military operations in Ukraine. In the United States, Iranian hackers have targeted water systems across seven states. Simultaneously, China has increased maritime harassment around Taiwan, Japan, and the Philippines, while both Russia and China have weaponized migration and trade to pressure adversaries.

Donald Trump, the President of the United States, has responded to these threats by employing a strategy of tactical unpredictability as a negotiating tool. However, critics suggest this approach hinders the administration's ability to educate the American public on strategic threats and prevents the development of a coherent national defense response necessary to counter these coordinated efforts.