Hegseth declares the end of the era of American protection for rich countries

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegeseth sent a strong message to European allies during his speech at the prestigious Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore, where he sharply criticized European reliance on U.S. protection. Hegeseth declared quite clearly: “The era of U.S. support for the defense of rich countries is over. We need partners, not countries that need protection,” a direct reference to the need for European countries to shoulder their responsibilities The U.S. secretary offered a striking comparison between Asian and European partners, praising Asian countries' pragmatic approach to alliances. “When our interests align, we work together with focused determination,” he said. When our interests diverge, we adapt pragmatically-without drama or moral preaching. ”Hegeseth reiterated the demands of the administration of President Donald Trump for fairer burden-sharing within NATO, stressing that Western Europe needs to take this pragmatic approach into account. In the regional context, the minister warned of growing Chinese threats in the Indo-Pacific region, stressing the Trump administration's pursuit of stable peace, fair trade and respectful relations with Beijing. These statements come within the framework of the new direction of US foreign policy, which focuses on mutual interests and balanced partnerships rather than unilateral relations.