Hegseth tells Asian allies: We’re with you against China

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a message of reassurance on his first official trip to Asia, telling U.S. allies grappling with challenges from Chinese aggression to North Korean missile tests that the Trump administration is committed to their security.

Following stopovers in Hawaii and the U.S. territory of Guam, Hegseth cast his Friday visit to the Philippines as reflective of America’s determination to deter China.

“What the Trump administration will do is deliver, is to truly prioritize and shift to this region of the world in a way that is unprecedented,” Hegseth said at a news conference in Manila alongside his Philippine counterpart.

U.S. resolve to defend its interests in the region shouldn’t be questioned, he added.

Hegseth’s trip has been overshadowed by the release of text messages in which he detailed the plans of an imminent military strike in Yemen in an unclassified group chat. Hegseth has described the messages, which were made public by the Atlantic magazine, as routine updates.

Asked about the texts in Manila, Hegseth said he took pride in a successful operation in the Middle East. “I’m responsible for ensuring that our department is prepared and ready to deter and defeat our enemies,” he said.

Hegseth’s embrace of Indo-Pacific partnerships struck a different tone from his visit last month to Europe, when he rebuked allies there for relying too much on the U.S. for their defense.

U.S. allies aware of the Trump administration’s tough rhetoric on China will want to see if it results in more American ships, aircraft and personnel in the region, said Grant Newsham, a retired U.S. Marine colonel who served in several Indo-Pacific roles.

But putting more of an onus on allies will strengthen the collective posture against China, he added. “More independence tends to build confidence—both military and political,” said Newsham, who is now a senior research fellow at the Washington-based Center for Security Policy.

Hegseth promised on Friday to deploy additional American military assets, including an antiship missile system, for annual joint exercises next month in the Philippines, a treaty ally that has repeatedly clashed with Beijing’s vessels in the contested South China Sea.

Hegseth, an Army veteran and former Fox News host, arrived in a region uncertain about the direction of U.S. relations. Some top Indo-Pacific allies, including Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, have some of the biggest trade surpluses with the U.S., with President Trump’s tariffs on steel, aluminum and cars stinging their export-heavy economies.