SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE – May 30, 2026: U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks at the 23rd IISS Shangri-La Dialogue at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore on May 30 (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)
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The United States aims to maintain balance in the world Asia-Pacific region and works towards a situation where its allies are more capable, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said, while warning China not disrupt the status quo.
“The foundation of partnership is alignment with national interests,” Hegseth said while speaking at the conference. IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore SATURDAY. The United States will take a “strong, quiet and clear” approach to alliances, he said.
He praised countries like the Philippines, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore for stepping up and sharing the burden of defense and alliances.
Vietnam and India were also asked to improve their military preparedness.
While Hegseth said the U.S.-China relationship was the strongest in a long time, he also called out the country directly.
Washington seeks “a favorable but durable balance of power in which no state, including China, can impose its hegemony and challenge the security or prosperity of our nation and our allies,” he said.
He said there is also “legitimate concern” in the Asia-Pacific region about 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 long-standing position in the region.”
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Democrat of Illinois, expressed skepticism about the remarks.
“The latest national defense strategy developed by Mr. Trump and Mr. Hegseth devalues the primacy and importance of the Indo-Pacific,” she said during a media roundtable at the Shangri-La Dialogue, adding that during Trump’s first term, the region’s importance was reaffirmed. “He talks about ‘we’re going to stay quiet.’ I think that’s actually a euphemism for saying there are no high-level interests other than getting closer to others. [China]”.
Hegseth had some choice words for Europe, complaining that the region’s allies had not done their part.
Alliances should happen “without drama or moralizing,” he said. “Europe should take note.”
The secretary of state also said that “for too long, the security of this region has relied disproportionately on American military power, while many of our allies and partners have allowed their own defense capabilities to atrophy.”
Model alliesHegseth said the United States was demanding 3.5 percent of GDP in defense spending from its allies and partners, and added that Washington would prioritize working with these “model allies.”
“For these nations, we put them on the front lines: accelerated arms sales, deepened industrial collaboration, expanded intelligence sharing, the list goes on and 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 the way we do business.”
Under Trump, the United States has not hesitated to denounce allies it sees as not pulling its weight and to take steps that many countries see as upending the post-World War II world order. Many leaders have expressed concern that they can no longer count on the United States as a reliable partner in the alliance.
Before his second term, US President Donald Trump claimed to have told a NATO ally that Washington would not protect countries that did not “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.
