Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hailed stable US ties with China and praised allies in Asia during a Saturday morning speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue defense forum in Singapore. According to reports from NDTV, Hegseth said the Trump administration would prioritize working with 'model allies' who are 'most capable, clear-eyed, and ready to defend their national interests.' He specifically lauded countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region for bolstering their own capabilities, highlighting South Korea in particular as an example to follow. Hegseth emphasized that 'for those who believe they can continue to free ride on the generosity of the American taxpayer, hear us now: those days are over.'
While praising Asian allies, Hegseth criticized longstanding partners in Europe and NATO, stating they 'have some big decisions to make.' As reported by NDTV, the Trump administration has demanded allies globally step up defense spending and take responsibility for their regional security. This has driven NATO allies toward more European collective defense less reliant on the US, while Washington has continued to engage in Asia and deepened military coordination. Spain, which has drawn particular ire from Trump, is the only country to be granted an exemption from NATO's new 5% defense spending target, leading to speculation the US could reduce its presence at its Rota or Moron bases.
Regarding the $14 billion weapons package to Taiwan, Hegseth said any decision about future Taiwan arms sales will rest with President Trump. According to NDTV, Hegseth didn't directly mention Taiwan during his address, marking the first such omission by a Pentagon chief at the Singapore forum in at least a decade. The self-ruled island remains the brightest of red lines in the US-China relationship, with China's leader Xi Jinping warning Trump during his Beijing visit that mishandling the issue could lead to clashes. Trump has since delayed approving the weapons package, which is heavy on air defenses.
Hegseth said the US was ready to fight Iran further if there's not a 'great deal' that ensures Tehran's leaders don't get a nuclear weapon. As reported by NDTV, he reiterated that 'our stockpiles are more than suited for that, both there and around the globe, because of how we balance exquisite and more plentiful munitions.' Trump has deployed the US military into high-profile operations this year in both the Middle East against Iran and in the Caribbean, with actions against Venezuela being broadly seen as successful despite global energy disruptions from Strait of Hormuz closure.
Trump has slammed European allies for not spending enough on defense and been frustrated by countries such as Italy for withholding access to their bases for US operations in Iran. According to NDTV, this has left NATO allies bracing for Washington to withdraw more support from the continent, after Trump announced he would pull 5,000 troops out of Germany. The US currently has about 85,000 military personnel stationed on the European continent, with speculation about potential reductions at bases in Spain and other countries.
