US War Secretary Hegseth wants defense framework with ASEAN

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth joins the ASEAN Defense Ministers for an informal meeting. Annie Perez, ABS-CBN NewsCEBU — United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Wednesday proposed a framework to guide defense cooperation between the US and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

In his opening speech during the US-ASEAN Defence Ministers Informal Meeting in Cebu, Hegseth said that the framework will concern defense cooperation over the next several years.

The secretary emphasized that 2027 is the 50th year of Southeast Asia’s relations with the United States.

The United States also conducted joint military and maritime exercises with ASEAN countries in Indonesia in December 2025.

“These initiatives offered meaningful opportunities to strengthen our maritime partnerships and people to people ties in support of peace and stability of Southeast Asia,” Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said. 

Hegseth said US President Donald Trump wants a “stable, secure and prosperous” region through building strong nations that are capable of defending their own sovereignty.

He said the powerhouse country is looking into steering ASEAN’s direction into a strong, quiet and clear move “to avoid needless escalation or public theatrics,” but “clear enough that our friends and partners, potential adversary understands precisely where the United States stands.”

As for the Department of War, Hegseth is keen on pursuing strengthening maritime domain, awareness, improving interoperability in advancing cooperation among the different Navy.

Hegseth said that the United States is eager to administer practical cooperation to sustain the ceasefire along the border of Thailand and Cambodia, between which the dispute intensified in 2025 and was backed by the United Nations this year.

The matter has been brought to Trump’s attention, he said.

The Philippines’ Teodoro said ASEAN values the US as a “robust” presence and is necessary for peace and stability for the region.

“We likewise appreciate the United States’ steadfast support for ASEAN centrality and participation in ASEAN-led mechanisms,” he said.