U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says President Donald Trump has instructed the Pentagon to carry out a major restructuring of the armed forces so that they are ready to contain Russia and China. He made the announcement in an interview with Fox News.
According to Hegseth, it was the policy of the previous White House administration that contributed to the rapprochement between Moscow and Beijing. ‘That is why President Trump has instructed the Department of Defence to be ready to restructure our armed forces in a historic way to restore military spirit and revive deterrence,’ the minister emphasised.
He noted that this does not mean that the US intends to enter into military conflict. On the contrary, in his opinion, demonstrating readiness allows direct confrontation to be avoided. ‘Demonstrations and parades are normal, but they should not escalate into wars,’ Hegseth said.
The Pentagon chief also stressed that Washington intends to maintain its strategic advantage ‘in space, in the air, at sea and underwater.’ As an example, he mentioned the Golden Dome system, which, according to him, is not yet available for China to copy. At the same time, Hegseth noted that Trump’s personal relationship with Chinese President Xi Jinping remains an important diplomatic lever.
The minister’s statements were made against the backdrop of a large military parade held in Beijing on 3 September to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. More than 20 world leaders attended the event, including Russian President Vladimir Putin. On the same day, the Russian leader held separate talks with Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Trump, in his usual manner, reacted to the events on social media: ‘Please convey my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong-un as they plot against the United States.’ At a press conference following the visit, Putin commented on this remark with a smile, noting that ‘Trump is not without humour.’
