The article is aimed at studying the evolution of the United States' strategic thought since the end of the Cold War until the present day. Its development can be divided into three different periods - the immediate post-Cold War (1989-2001), the war on terror (2001-12) and nowadays (2012-)-any of which based on a paradigm that has determined the country's strategic thought, defence policy and military posture. Regardless of those transformations aimed at anticipating to the risks or respond to the threats, the American strategic thought has maintained a great deal of continuity.