Hegseth Reassures Southeast Asia of US Commitment, Pledges Stronger Defense Ties

U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth sought to reassure Southeast Asian counterparts on Wednesday of Washington's commitment to the Indo-Pacific, pledging that Washington would defend its interests and those of its allies and partners.

Hegseth, who is participating in the two-day ASEAN defense ministers and related meetings in Cebu, Philippines, said the US would back that commitment with practical cooperation, including stronger maritime domain awareness, greater interoperability and cooperation among navies.