Opinion | ‘First-in-line’ status offers Philippines little shelter from Trump

“Deterrence is necessary around the world, but specifically in this region, in your country, considering the threats from the communist Chinese and that friends need to stand shoulder to shoulder

to deter conflict, to ensure that there’s free navigation,” US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on his recent visit to Manila, where he also announced the deployment of new strategic weapons systems for annual bilateral military exercises.