Hegseth Praises Asian Allies at Singapore Forum as Trump Shifts Focus to 2 Defense Blocs
Updated
Updated · Bloomberg · May 30
Hegseth Praises Asian Allies at Singapore Forum as Trump Shifts Focus to 2 Defense Blocs
14 articles · Updated · Bloomberg · May 30
Singapore's Shangri-La Dialogue gave Pete Hegseth a platform to cast Asian partners as the Trump administration's preferred security partners while criticizing long-standing European defense allies.
Hegseth said Washington would prioritize “model allies” that are “most capable, clear-eyed, and ready to defend their national interests,” framing the shift around burden-sharing and military readiness.
He also described US ties with China as stable, a softer note than expected before the forum amid a recent reset in Beijing relations and speculation that Washington might temper its Taiwan rhetoric.
The speech signaled a broader Trump-era defense message: reward Indo-Pacific partners seen as carrying more of their own weight while pressing Europe more aggressively over alliance commitments.
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