Pentagon official: US 'digging in' on Indo-Pacific, seeks 'partners, not protectorates'

Published Aug 10, 04:03 PM UTC

In a speech in Manila on August 10, 2026, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby reaffirmed the United States' commitment to the Indo-Pacific region, countering concerns about disengagement. Colby stated the US is 'digging in' to maintain a favorable balance of power, emphasizing a posture of 'deterrence by denial' along the First Island Chain, which stretches from Japan to Taiwan, the Philippines, and Borneo. He called on allies to invest more in their own defense, framing this as a push for 'partners, not protectorates,' and argued that strong partners enhance deterrence. The speech was the first stop on a Southeast Asian trip that also includes Indonesia, Thailand, and Cambodia.