On May 5, 2026, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth addressed the media during a briefing at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia.
Photo Courtesy: Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images
In his remarks, Secretary Hegseth emphasized the United States’ commitment to maintaining stability in the Asia-Pacific region. He highlighted ongoing efforts to empower allies while cautioning China against actions that could destabilize the current balance.
Speaking at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Hegseth stated, “A solid partnership is rooted in shared national interests.” He described the U.S. approach to alliances as “strong, quiet, and clear.”
He commended nations like the Philippines, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore for their proactive roles in defense and alliance responsibilities.
Additionally, Vietnam and India were recognized for their strides in enhancing military readiness.
While Hegseth said the U.S.’s relationship with China is the strongest it’s been in a long time, he also directly called out the country.
Washington seeks “a favorable but durable balance of power in which no state, including China, can impose its hegemony and hold the security or prosperity of our nation and our allies in question,” he said.
He claimed that there is also “rightful alarm” in the Asia-Pacific region regarding China’s military buildup, and the expansion of its military activities in the region and beyond.
“While a decent peace is our goal, make no mistake, America is a Pacific nation, and we insist that China respect our longstanding position in the region.”
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois, expressed skepticism about the remarks.
“The latest national defense strategy drafted by Mr. Trump and Mr. Hegseth downgrades the primacy, the importance, of the Indo-Pacific,” she said in a media roundtable at the Shangri-La Dialogue, adding that in Trump’s first term the importance of the region had been reaffirmed. “He talks about `we’re going to be quiet,’ I think it’s actually a euphemism for no top-level interests other than cozying up to [China].”
Hegseth had some choice words for Europe, complaining that allies in the region hadn’t pulled their weight.
Alliances should happen “without the drama and the moralizing,” he said. “Europe should take note.”
The secretary also said that “for too long, the security of this region has rested disproportionately on American military power, while many of our allies and partners allowed their own defense capabilities to atrophy.”
Model allies
Hegseth said that the U.S. demands 3.5% of GDP as defense spending from its allies and partners, and added that Washington will prioritize working with these “model allies.”
“For those nations, we are moving them to the front of the line: expedited arms sales, deep industrial-based collaboration, expanded intelligence sharing, the list goes on that benefits many.”
He also warned that “allies who refuse to step up and carry their own weight for our collective defense will face a clear shift in how we do business.”
Under Trump, the U.S. has little hesitation in calling out allies it sees as not carrying their weight, and making moves that many countries have seen as upending the post-World War II global order. Many leaders have said they worry they can no longer count on the U.S. to be a reliable alliance partner.
Before his second term, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed he told a NATO ally that Washington would not protect countries who didn’t “pay.”
Hegseth also said that “America first does not mean America alone,” adding that alliances are true partnerships measured by the sovereign strength and capabilities brought to bear by each member.
–CNBC’s Joanna Ossinger contributed to this article.
