SINGAPORE — The United States has demanded that its allies increase defence spending and take greater responsibility for security in their own regions, warning that Washington will no longer tolerate what it describes as “freeloading” by wealthy partners.
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered the message at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, where he said America’s allies must move from dependence on U.S. protection to what he called genuine partnership. He praised countries such as Australia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and the Philippines for expanding defence budgets, while warning that allies that fail to strengthen their militaries could face consequences.
Hegseth said the United States expects Asian allies and partners to increase defence spending toward 3.5 percent of gross domestic product, citing China’s military buildup, threats to undersea infrastructure and the need for stronger regional deterrence. He said “model allies” that invest more and align closely with U.S. strategic priorities could receive faster arms sales, deeper intelligence cooperation and closer military integration.
The message also targeted Europe. NATO members agreed at the 2025 summit to raise defence-related spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2035, including 3.5 percent for core military needs and 1.5 percent for broader security areas such as cyber defence and critical infrastructure. NATO says all allies met or exceeded the previous 2 percent target in 2025, with European allies and Canada increasing defence spending by 20 percent compared with 2024.
Washington argues that allies must do more because the U.S. is facing simultaneous security demands in Europe, the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East. The Trump administration has proposed a major expansion of U.S. military spending, with defence outlays already approved above $1 trillion for 2026 and potentially rising further in 2027.
Allied governments have broadly accepted the need to spend more, but many face political and fiscal constraints. Higher defence budgets could require tax increases, spending cuts or larger deficits, while shortages of ammunition, air defence systems, ships and trained personnel mean money alone may not quickly translate into military readiness.
The demand reflects a major shift in U.S. alliance policy. Washington is still promising support to partners, but increasingly wants that support matched by higher allied spending, stronger defence industries and greater regional responsibility. For allies, the message is clear: future U.S. backing may depend not only on shared values, but on measurable military investment.
