Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed Asian military leaders on Saturday, stating that the United States would prioritize its most committed partners for support, noting that nations must compete for Washington’s attention as they seek greater assistance against an increasingly assertive China.
Amid regional concerns that the United States might be distracted elsewhere and overly concessive toward China, Mr. Hegseth reassured that America would remain proactive and protective, while cautioning that U.S. assistance would be conditional.
Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Mr. Hegseth remarked, “President Trump believes in assisting nations that assist themselves,” and added, “The era of the United States subsidizing the defense of affluent nations has ended.”
He repeatedly described the U.S. approach as “strong, quiet, and clear.” Regarding the region’s most contentious issues, he remained largely silent.
In his prepared remarks, Mr. Hegseth made no reference to Taiwan, which is anxiously awaiting clarity on U.S. arms sales amid China’s growing military strength. He softened his portrayal of China, describing it as a rival rather than a direct threat, and when asked about the war in Iran and its energy shortages that have affected many Asian countries, he suggested that Middle Eastern conflicts should be discussed separately from Taiwan.
Summarizing the American approach, Mr. Hegseth said, “Big stick, speak softly. We will prioritize lethal capabilities, strategic discipline, and pragmatic cooperation over empty rhetoric and self‑promotion.”
This marked Mr. Hegseth’s second appearance at the forum. Delivered in a chilly hotel ballroom and notably omitting any reference to Taiwan, the speech represented a departure from his more heated remarks the previous year.
In 2025, he told the gathering of Asian military leaders that “China’s military harasses Taiwan.”
He asserted, “The threat China poses is real,” warning that “any attempt by Communist China to seize Taiwan by force would have devastating consequences for the Indo‑Pacific and the world.”
He referenced Taiwan, an island democracy that China claims as its territory, five times during that speech.
This year, he praised partners such as South Korea, Japan, Australia and Vietnam for expanding their military capabilities and embracing collective defense. Taiwan, which recently increased military spending to over 3 % of GDP, was not mentioned.
Senator Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois and Iraq War veteran, said the speech would heighten regional concerns, fueling worries that the recent summit between President Trump and Xi Jinping ended with excessive American concessions, including a new willingness to discuss Taiwan’s defense deals in leader talks.
She said, “I am concerned that it seems our president is adopting policies that align with Beijing’s wishes,” after Mr. Hegseth’s speech.
While noting bipartisan support for additional weapons sales to Taiwan, including a potential $14 billion package pending White House approval, Senator Duckworth criticized Mr. Hegseth’s “speak softly” stance.
She added, “He talks about being cool and quiet, which I see as a euphemism for a lack of top‑level interest, apart from cozying up to the People’s Republic of China.”
Mr. Hegseth suggested that U.S.–China relations had improved, praising President Trump for meeting with Mr. Xi and restoring military‑to‑military dialogue.
He stated, “Under President Trump’s leadership, U.S.–China relations are better than they have been in many years.”
Da Wei, a Tsinghua University professor of international relations, said the speech built on the détente fostered by the two leaders at their Beijing meeting and could generate momentum for upcoming engagements.
He said, “I can feel a sense of relief from the region as the two elephants develop a stable bilateral relationship.”
Taiwan, however, remains a primary concern for many countries.
The island has for decades relied on U.S. military and political support to counter pressure from China, which has warned it could seize Taiwan by force.
However, Mr. Trump this month created uncertainty about his stance on Taiwan. In remarks to reporters, he said he and Mr. Xi had discussed possible U.S. arms sales to Taiwan in great detail, describing them as a “bargaining chip” with Beijing, potentially breaking with a longstanding U.S. commitment not to consult China on such sales.
Addressing an audience question in Singapore, Mr. Hegseth rejected reports that Washington had paused a $14 billion arms sale to Taiwan due to the war in Iran.
At a Senate committee hearing this month, acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao said, “We’re pausing to ensure we have sufficient munitions.” Mr. Hegseth denied any link between the proposed $14 billion arms package and the war in Iran.
He added, “Hung Cao is fantastic, but I would not couple the two in any way. Any decision on future Taiwan arms sales, as the president said, will rest with him.”
It is far from clear that these comments reassured those who fear China could be emboldened by America’s softer tone. Washington’s encouragement for other nations to build their own defenses is sometimes interpreted as a prelude to a deeper U.S. retreat.
Ankit Panda, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said Mr. Hegseth’s remarks “missed the core demand from allies, which is clarity on how the software and hardware of their alliances with the United States can meaningfully expand.”
The administration’s approach to defusing tensions with China still faces many obstacles, chiefly the deep mistrust between the militaries of China and the United States.
Incidents of Chinese aircraft and ships approaching American military vessels and aircraft dangerously close have declined since 2024, following Washington’s complaints. Nevertheless, Chinese forces continue to buzz and harass the planes and ships of U.S. allies such as Japan and Australia.
U.S. efforts to boost its military presence across Asia by deploying additional missiles to Japan and the Philippines have also drawn sharp warnings from Beijing.
Ely Ratner, former assistant secretary of defense for Indo‑Pacific security affairs under the Biden administration, said the pattern may persist for now.
He said, “Trump’s accommodation of China may yield more military engagement in the near term, but it will also invite greater PLA coercion against U.S. allies. That is not a recipe for strategic stability.”
