U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (C) leaves after attending a bilateral meeting and the signing of the memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation between Malaysia and the United States, in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 30, 2025. Mohd Rasfan/ AFP via Getty Images
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth has been making stops throughout Asia, upgrading ties, projecting American leadership in the Indo-Pacific, and condemning the Chinese regime’s military aggression in the region.
“President Trump wants allies to be strong,” Hegseth said in Seoul on Nov. 4. It was a frequent refrain throughout the trip.
