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U.S. Department of War·

Secretary of War Hegseth Provides Remarks at the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting

  • Secretary of War Pete Hegseth praised Secretary Teodoro for his leadership as chairman of the ADMM-Plus & commended the Philippines' continued role.
  • Hegseth outlined President Trump's vision for a stable, secure, & prosperous Pacific built on strong, self-reliant nations capable of defending their sovereignty.
  • The U.S. approach is described as strong, quiet, & clear to deter aggression while avoiding escalation or public theatrics.
  • The Department of War seeks to strengthen maritime domain awareness, improve interoperability, & advance naval cooperation with ASEAN partners.
  • Hegseth credited ASEAN's leadership for sustaining the ceasefire along the Thailand-Cambodia border, noting President Trump's critical attention to the matter.
  • The U.S. proposed developing a US-ASEAN framework for defense cooperation to mark the 50th anniversary of US-ASEAN relations next year.
  • Work on the new framework will begin with Singapore assuming the ADMM-Plus chairmanship.