We are back in the era many thought we’d left forever in 1989: Superpower competition at every level, often just under the “kinetic” phase. It turns out that ship counts and strategic bombers, a new generation of ballistic-missile-carrying submarines and a new group of offensive capabilities such as hypersonic missiles and cybersleuths are critical to not just prosperity but also survival. Trump has Pompeo and Bolton to help him navigate this course, and perhaps the Pentagon will soon deliver an actual plan on how to achieve Trump’s promise of a 355-ship Navy, as well as the details on the new nuclear arsenal.

So 2020 is going to be a national security election: More of Trump and his policies and people or back to Obama-era make-believe?

The inherent right of self-defense. A much larger Navy. A rapid growth in defense outlays. A rebuilt nuclear arsenal. The Reagan Doctrine is back, fully embraced by Trump. Just in time to define the Democratic presidential primaries and the 2020 election.