STORY: U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the Philippines on Friday, where he reaffirmed Washington's "ironclad" commitment to a defense treaty between the two countries.His first stop on a trip through Asia comes amid growing threats from China.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed Washington's "ironclad" commitment to a defence treaty with the Philippines on Friday and pledged to deploy advanced capabilities to its partner to strengthen a deterrence against threats,

Hegseth, who was visiting the Philippines, blamed the previous Biden administration for insufficient actions that emboldened aggressors like China over the years. He said the U.S. military was being rebuilt under President Donald Trump and was re-establishing its “warrior ethos” in the region, but did not elaborate.