Hegseth praised countries like the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore for stepping up and sharing the burdens of defense and alliances. He also insisted that China cannot impose its hegemony on U.S.

The head of the U.S. military's Southern Command met Friday with top Cuban military officials at the edge of Guantanamo Bay, a rare meeting as President Trump heaps pressure on Cuba and does not rule out military action.

The tour comes as Myanmar's new government tries to consolidate its political position regionally, while continuing to wage a brutal civil war.

Israeli and Lebanese military delegations open U.S.-brokered talks at the Pentagon focused on ceasefire enforcement and border stability amid tensions.

Mexico approved a constitutional reform that adds foreign intervention or interference in electoral processes as a new ground for annulling elections.

A facility built by the U.S. military on a Kenyan air base was intended to isolate Americans exposed to Ebola during the growing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The U.S. Southern Command confirmed the strike, the latest in a controversial months-long campaign against alleged drug boats.

When Trump visited China earlier this month, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned him that Taiwan could become a "very dangerous situation" if mishandled.