U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth takes questions during a press conference at the Pentagon on May 5, 2026 in Arlington, Virginia.
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The US aims to maintain balance in the Asia-Pacific region and is working in an environment where its allies can, said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, while warning China not to disrupt the status quo.
“The basis of the partnership is in the interests of the country,” said Hegseth speaking at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue conference in Singapore on Saturday. The US will take a “strong, quiet, clear” approach to the meeting, he said.
He praised countries like the Philippines, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore for stepping up and sharing defense responsibilities and alliances.
Vietnam and India also received calls to improve their military readiness.
While Hegseth said the US-China relationship is the greatest it has been in a long time, he also called out the country directly.
Washington wants “a favorable but strong balance of power in which no country, including China, can impose its power and hold back the security or prosperity of our nation and our allies,” he said.
He also said there is “rightful alarm” in the Asia-Pacific region about China’s military buildup, as well as its increasing military activities in the region and beyond.
“While our goal is an honorable peace, make no mistake, America is a Pacific country, and we insist that China respect our long-standing position in the region.”
Hegseth had some special words for Europe, complaining that their partners in this region have not lost weight.
Cooperation should happen “without drama and behavior,” he said. “Europe should be careful.”
The secretary also said that “for too long, the security of this region has depended equally on America’s military power, and many of our allies and partners have allowed their defense capabilities to fail.”
Model partners
Hegseth said the US wants 3.5% of GDP as defense spending from its allies and partners, and added that Washington will prioritize working with these “exemplary partners.”
“For those nations, we are moving forward: faster arms sales, deeper industrial-based cooperation, expanded intelligence sharing, the list goes on that benefits many.”
He also warned that “partners who refuse to step up and bear the weight of our collective defense will face a radical change in the way we do business.”
Under Trump, the US has little qualms about calling out allies it sees as underperforming, making a move that many countries see as upending the post-World War II global order. Many leaders say they are worried that they will no longer be able to rely on the US to be a reliable alliance partner.
Before his second term, US President Donald Trump said he told the NATO alliance that Washington would not protect countries that “do not pay.”
Hegseth also said that “America first does not mean America alone,” adding that alliances are true partnerships measured by the strength and power each member brings.
