American access to the Panama Canal, one of several new directives outlined in what amounts to a major overhaul of US strategic priorities, according to a new memo that was sent to senior leaders and reviewed by CNN.

The U.S. acquired the rights to build and operate the canal in the early 20th century. In a treaty signed in 1979, during the administration of Democratic President Jimmy Carter, the U.S. agreed to turn over control of the canal to Panama at the close of 1999.

Potential plans range from partnering more closely with Panamanian security forces to a less likely option of U.S. troops' seizing the canal by force, U.S. officials told NBC News.

A former Air National Guardsman in the US state of Massachusetts now serving a 15-year federal sentence for leaking classified documents has pleaded guilty in a military court-martial to obstructing justice, securing a dishonorable discharge but no further jail time.

Jack Teixeira, the former Massachusetts Air National Guard member who caused an international uproar when he leaked highly classified documents about the war in Ukraine, pleaded guilty to military charges of obstructing justice at his court-martial Thursday.

Jack Teixeira, a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard who is serving a 15-year prison sentence for leaking classified U.S. national security documents online, was sentenced by a military judge to a dishonorable discharge on Thursday after pleading guilty to obstructing justice.