Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described Israel, Poland, and the Gulf and Baltic states as “model allies” of the United States, a remark sure to raise eyebrows over others who may consider themselves close allies.

Pete Hegseth reaffirmed in a speech in Singapore that the U.S. does not seek conflict with China, but to deter China the U.S. "is preparing for war, to deter war."

The Pentagon chief's speech at an annual defense forum in Singapore used to highlight defense cooperation with South Korea and trilateral efforts with Japan as the United States has sought to leverage the core Asian allies for peace in the face of a provocative North Korea and an

US defence secretary Pete Hegseth cautioned that China is actively preparing to use military force to expand its influence in the Indo-Pacific region,

The assessment is a major departure for the U.S. government, and it came with a nudge that nations must choose between Washington and Beijing.

US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth warned Saturday that China was “credibly preparing” to use military force to upend the balance of power in Asia, vowing the United States was “here to stay” in the Indo-Pacific region.

SINGAPORE: The United States Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth met Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Friday (May 30), ahead of the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's top defence forum. The two reaffirmed the "excellent and longstanding bilateral defence relation" between the two countries, according to a Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) news release.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is facing backlash after issuing orders on Friday restricting credentialed journalists from unescorted access to much of the Pentagon building.