Chief Pentagon Spokesman Mr. Sean Parnell provided the following statement:
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will depart early next week for a trip to Hawaii, Guam, the Philippines, and Japan to meet with senior U.S. military and civilian leadership and participate in a series of bilateral meetings. These engagements will drive ongoing efforts to strengthen our alliances and partnerships toward our shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
As part of his first official visit to the region, Sec. Hegseth will first travel to Hawaii to meet with civilian and military leaders from the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. From there, Sec. Hegseth will travel to Guam, where he is expected to tour the military facilities and receive capabilities briefs. Next, he will travel to the Philippines, where he will advance security objectives with Philippine leaders and meet with U.S. and Philippine forces. In Japan, Sec. Hegseth will participate in a ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima and will later meet with Japanese leaders and U.S. military forces. And as always, the Secretary looks forward to some great PT (physical training) with the troops!
Secretary Hegseth's trip comes as the United States builds on unprecedented cooperation with like-minded countries to strengthen regional security.