Pete Hegseth delivers chilling warning to China and brushes off Signal chat scandal with job in jeopardy

Defense Secretary Pete flexed his muscles in a workout with U.S. troops in the Philippines as he identified China as a threat and called for deterrence.

Theres a long line of countries in the past who have attempted to test U.S. resolve, Hegseth added. We are resolved at this time … to work with our partners.

Deterrence is necessary around the world, but specifically in this region, in your country, considering the threats from the communist Chinese, he said.

Hegseth, who is on a tour of the region that will also take him to the Japan, called for joining with allies to counter Chinese expansionist threats – while trying to steer clear of the burgeoning scandal over the administration group chat where he shared information about an imminent attack on the Houthis in Yemen. 

What were dealing with right now is many years of deferred maintenance, of weakness, that we need to reestablish strength and deterrence in multiple places around the globe, Hegseth said in response to a question about whether the U.S. would place a more visible presence in the South China Sea.

He called for peace through strength, saying it is a very real thing. 

His tough talk came on a trip where he did pushups and jumping jacks with Navy Seals at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam on Tuesday – revealing a new tattoo in the process.

But he brushed aside a question about whether he was responsible for what happened on the group chat.

Pushing through controversy: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth doged a question about the Signal scandal on a trip to the Philippines, where is had tough words on deterring China

Im responsible for ensuring that our department is prepared and ready to deter and defeat our enemies. Im quite proud - quite proud - of what our forces and CENTCOM did on that initial series of very effective and devastating strikes, he said.

He said his job is to work with fellow cabinet members and ensure that were operationalizing in every way possible. It was his only reference to the security team chat where he shared information on weapons systems being used against the Houthis. 

 Hegseth met with Philippine President Bongbong Marcos, held a press conference with Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., and viewed an honor guard with Philippine Army Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner Jr.

Earlier, he told Marcos that deterrence was particularly needed in the Indo-Pacific region considering the threats from the communist Chinese.

A new report by U.S. intelligence agencies this week identified China as the nations top threat.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (L) and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (R), shake hands during a joint press conference where Hegseth spoke about the China threat

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visits the Manila American Cemetery in Manila, Philippines, March 28, 2025. The trip will also take him to Japan

The Signal scandal has followed Hegseth on the trip, as lawmakers from his own party seek a watchdog probe

Chinas military is fielding advanced capabilities, including hypersonic weapons, stealth aircraft, advanced submarines, stronger space and cyber warfare assets and a larger arsenal of nuclear weapons," Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told lawmakers this week. She called China the nations most capable strategic competitor.

China almost certainly has a multifaceted, national-level strategy designed to displace the United States as the worlds most influential AI power by 2030, she said.

China claims virtually the entire South China Sea and has been warning against interference from outside countries, setting up a clash with U.S. allies demanding freedom of navigation. 

To counter the moves, Friends need to stand shoulder to shoulder to deter conflict, to ensure that there is free navigation whether you call it the South China Sea or the West Philippine Sea, Hegseth told Marcos. 

Hegseths trip coincides with growing pressure from lawmakers over the group chat scandal.

A federal judge has ordered participants on the chat that inadvertently included journalist Jeffrey Goldberg to preserve their texts. Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) warned in comments to the Hill: I don’t know how many strikes you get. In baseball, you get three. Maybe this is worth two,” he added. “If mistakes like this continue to happen, we’ll deal with them as it happens. My hope and my expectation is that it won’t.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) has written the Pentagons acting inspector general about a probe.  

recognition that for the 21st century to be a free century, America needs to stand alongside our allies and partners shoulder to shoulder. 

Its not going to happen. It was an accidental thing - Bondi to Fox