U.S. allies that fail to adequately fund defense and shirk contributions to collective security will face repercussions, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared at the 2025 Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California, on Saturday. Hegseth singled out nations like South Korea, Israel, Poland, and Germany as “model allies” for stepping up their defense commitments, contrasting them with countries perceived as “free riders.”
“We are optimistic that other Indo-Pacific allies will follow suit in a few years,” Hegseth said, noting that South Korea has pledged to raise its defense spending to 3.5% of GDP. He emphasized that U.S. President Donald Trump favors partnerships with countries that help themselves rather than rely on American support, framing the message as a call for responsible burden-sharing among allies.
Previewing priorities for the soon-to-be-released National Defense Strategy, Hegseth outlined four main objectives for the Pentagon: defending the U.S. homeland and the Western Hemisphere, deterring China through strength rather than confrontation, encouraging increased defense contributions from allies and partners, and strengthening the U.S. defense industrial base.
On China, Hegseth stressed that Washington is not seeking to “strangle” Chinese growth, dominate or humiliate Beijing, or alter the status quo over Taiwan. Instead, the Pentagon’s approach—described as “deterrence by denial”—aims to prevent China from gaining the capability to dominate the U.S. or its allies. He framed the strategy as building a shared, powerful “defensive shield” with well-equipped partners.
While Hegseth’s remarks echoed his May speech at the Shangri-La security forum in Singapore, some regional diplomats told Nikkei Asia that the message seemed less urgent than previous warnings about China’s potential threat to Taiwan. In May, he had characterized the risk of Chinese military action against Taiwan as “real” and potentially “imminent.” On Saturday, he did not elaborate on scenarios for military conflict, focusing instead on deterrence and alliance accountability.
The speech underscores a clear U.S. expectation: allies must invest in their own defense and support collective security, or risk diminished favor and potential consequences in the strategic framework of Washington’s global defense posture.
