The U.S. and Japan emphasized that security ties remain robust — despite rising concerns about the alliance’s durability and looming tariffs under President Donald Trump — as the countries’ defense chiefs held their first in-person talks Sunday in Tokyo.
Saying that “phase one” of a plan to upgrade the U.S. military’s command in the country was underway, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth described Japan as an “indispensable partner” in confronting China and sought to dispel lingering unease in Tokyo over Trump’s penchant for a transactional approach when dealing with allies.
"President Trump has also made it very clear, and we reiterate, we are going to put America first,” Hegseth said following his meeting with Defense Minister Gen Nakatani. “But ‘America First’ does not mean America alone.”
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