Hegseth Demands Allies Increase Defense Spending, Warns of Consequences Otherwise

By Shinji Abe / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

17:09 JST, December 8, 2025

WASHINGTON — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth indicated a policy of prioritizing deterrence against China and demanding allies increase defense spending, during a speech delivered at a forum held in California on Saturday.

He reiterated that U.S. allies, including Japan, should greatly increase spending on their own defense, saying, “No more free rides.”

Hegseth mentioned South Korea’s announcement in November of its decision to increase the defense budget to 3.5% of its GDP. Hegseth said he is optimistic that other allies in the Indo-Pacific region will follow suit within a few years, a remark that appears to be directed at specific countries including Japan.

Hegseth also explained that NATO had decided to raise the percentage of defense spending by member countries to 5% of their respective GDP based on U.S. President Donald Trump’s demand. He indicated that other U.S. allies would be urged to adopt the same approach and warned that countries failing to do so should face the consequences.

About deterrence against China, he said the U.S. approach is “aimed not at domination [over China], but rather a balance of power,” through which the United States aims to realize peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Hegseth said that the United States would ensure the capability of sustained military deployment to the “First Island Chain,” which connects Japan’s Nansei Islands to Taiwan and the Philippines. He added, however, that the United States is not “trying to change the status quo over Taiwan.”

The Trump administration announced its National Security Strategy about the country’s diplomatic and military policies on Dec. 4. It is likely that the Trump administration will soon announce its National Defense Strategy, which stipulates practical defense guidelines and priority issues.