Analysis- "Freeloading" was the term Pete Hegseth applied to a country that had just put another couple of billion dollars from Budget 2026 towards the goal of doubling spending on defence.

Pete Hegseth urged allies to spend more on defense while warning China over its growing regional influence.

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth says New Zealand is not spending enough on defence, shortly after stating that the days of the "US subsidising wealthy nations is over".