Federalist Paper No. 23, written by Alexander Hamilton, addresses the necessity of a strong central government in matters of national defense and security. Hamilton argues that the federal government must be empowered to handle all aspects of national defense, without any significant limitations. He outlines the unpredictability and diversity of threats that a nation could face, such as war, domestic insurrection, and interactions with foreign powers. According to Hamilton, these circumstances are so varied and unforeseeable that setting rigid restrictions on the federal government's ability to act would be imprudent. In essence, the paper makes the case for granting expansive powers to the national government in the realm of national security, contending that limited authority would inadequately protect the nation from external and internal threats.