Hegseth notes Australia’s defence spending hike, says there’s more to do
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged Australia's plan to increase defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2033, but emphasized that more action is needed before Australia is considered a 'model ally' like South Korea. He highlighted the US commitment to burden-sharing in the Indo-Pacific and named several countries, including South Korea and Poland, as allies meeting expectations. The Pentagon also confirmed the cost of the US military campaign in Iran has reached $25 billion, while criticizing domestic opposition to the war effort.
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