By John Conger
On December 19, President Trump signed the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which was passed with bipartisan support by Congress.
While the tone of both the Pentagon and Congress has shifted in recent years, and explicit discussion of climate change as a national security issue has been deprioritized, the operational impacts of climate-driven hazards are clearly reflected in this year’s legislation. Where past NDAAs emphasized long-term resilience, Arctic strategy, or climate risk assessments, the FY26 NDAA focuses more narrowly and pragmatically on preparing the force for wildfires and natural disasters that are already affecting military operations, installations, and personnel.
This shift mirrors operational reality. US forces—particularly the National Guard—are increasingly deployed domestically in response to extreme weather events. The Center for Climate and Security tracks these trends through its Military Responses to Climate Hazards (MiRCH) Tracker, which documents the growing tempo and scope of military disaster response missions.