Hegseth Tells Philippines The Trump Administration Will Ramp Up Deterrence Against China Threat

3 weeks ago U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the Trump administration will work with allies to ramp up deterrence against threats across the world, including China’s aggression in the South China Sea. Hegseth, who was visiting the Philippines, blamed the previous Biden administration for insufficient actions that emboldened aggressors like China over the years. He said the U.S. military was being rebuilt under President Donald Trump and was re-establishing its “warrior ethos” in the region, but did not elaborate. Earlier, he told Marcos that deterrence was particularly needed in the Indo-Pacific region “considering the threats from the communist Chinese.” The Philippines was the first stop in his first trip to Asia and he would travel next to Japan.