The Donald Trump administration has sent a clear signal that it intends to pursue an aggressive strategy to counter Chinese influence across the Indo-Pacific region. In a significant policy address on March 25, US Secretary of Defense Pete Herseth outlined the administration’s vision for the region, marking the first comprehensive articulation of its Indo-Pacific strategy after assuming office in January. Herseth’s remarks built upon the Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) introduced during Trump's first presidency in 2017, while introducing new elements reflecting the current geopolitical landscape.
Speaking at an event hosted by the Daniel K Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Hawaii, Herseth emphasized the critical importance of US alliances in the region, stating: “Our alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific matter a great deal to the United States. They matter because the Indo-Pacific is the region of consequences.”
He reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to Trump's original vision of a “free and open Indo-Pacific,” first articulated during a 2017 speech in Vietnam, describing it as a framework where nations can prosper as sovereign and independent states.
The defense secretary’s remarks come amid already strained US-China relations, exacerbated by Trump's imposition of sweeping tariffs on Chinese goods. Herseth’s speech made clear that the administration intends to extend this tougher approach to military and security matters, declaring that “no one should question the United States' resolve to defend its interests in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.” He emphasized America's military superiority, vowing to maintain “the strongest, most effective and most lethal force in the world” to deter potential adversaries.
This renewed focus on the Indo-Pacific revives a strategy that has previously caused diplomatic complications for some regional partners. The original 2017 IPS identified Nepal as a US partner in its 2019 document, sparking significant domestic criticism in Kathmandu where the strategy was widely perceived as an anti-China military alliance. In 2022, the Joe Biden administration subsequently recalibrated the approach, emphasizing economic cooperation over military alignment and deliberately avoiding references to the IPS in official communications with Nepal to prevent controversy. This shift was particularly important following the backlash against the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact after US defense officials publicly linked it to the IPS in 2018.
Herseth’s address placed particular emphasis on strengthening military-to-military relationships across the region, suggesting that the Trump administration may seek to expand defense cooperation with countries like Nepal. This could include renewed pressure to finalize the long-pending State Partnership Program (SPP) agreement, which has been on hold due to Nepal’s concerns about upsetting its delicate balance between China and India. The US Indo-Pacific Command has maintained consistent engagement with Nepal’s military, and this cooperation is expected to intensify under the current administration.
The defense secretary framed the administration's approach as seeking “peace through strength” while attempting to reassure allies that “America First does not mean America only or America alone.” However, he acknowledged the need to reassess existing military partnerships, stating: “It means our military-to-military relationship must make sense for America and our partners. If there are imbalances, we will find them and we will fix those imbalances. We will right-size the obligations and responsibilities needed.”
Herseth’s current tour of the region, including stops in Guam, the Philippines, and Japan for high-level meetings with both military and civilian leaders, has drawn particular attention from Beijing. Analysts note that the Philippines holds special strategic significance in US planning, with Chinese commentator Shi Hong pointing out in Global Times that Manila’s geographic position—with its northern islands near Taiwan and western coastline facing the South China Sea—makes it particularly valuable for countering Chinese influence.
The administration’s strategy appears to involve pressuring wealthier regional nations to increase their defense spending while potentially boosting military assistance to smaller partners like Nepal. This approach presents Kathmandu with a complex diplomatic challenge, as accepting greater US military support could strain its relationships with both China and India. The key question for Nepalese policymakers will be how to navigate potential US pressure to enter into strategic agreements without compromising the country’s traditional non-aligned stance or its vital relationships with neighboring powers.
As the Trump administration moves to implement this more assertive Indo-Pacific strategy, the coming months will likely see increased US engagement across the region, with particular focus on strengthening military partnerships and countering Chinese influence. The extent to which smaller nations like Nepal can maintain their balancing act between major powers while responding to these new strategic pressures remains to be seen.
