US Demands Allies Pull Their Weight

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is demanding more from allies, praising Australia and Pacific partners for stepping up defense spending while warning that the US won’t subsidize wealthy nations anymore. He singled out Australia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and the Philippines for rising to the challenge, echoing Trump-era goals to end dependency and build a fairer alliance. Hegseth also criticized Europe for lagging on defense contributions, hinting at consequences for those who don’t pull their weight. Meanwhile, Australia’s Deputy PM Richard Marles warned of a new front: the seabed, where critical subsea cables are being cut — a threat to global infrastructure. In response, Australia’s defense sector is getting a major boost with a $120 million contract with Lockheed Martin to produce key weapons locally, reinforcing self-reliance and deeper ties with US forces. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/3fd49984d5af164e