Hegseth: Ready to Restart Iran Strikes if No Deal Reached

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth praised defense allies in Asia and hailed newly stable ties with China, while taking swipes at longstanding security partners in Europe. The comments, made Saturday at an Asia security forum in Singapore, are the latest sign of the Trump administration shifting attention toward the Indo-Pacific while expressing antagonism toward Europe and the NATO alliance.

Hegseth singled out allies such as South Korea, Japan and the Philippines for “stepping up” on defense while lambasting European nations that “threw open their borders and hollowed out their militaries.” His comments and omission of Taiwan in his address marked a shift in tone, with some interpreting it as a sign of a softer stance on China and a focus on "constructive strategic stability" in the US-China relationship.

On today’s show, Bloomberg This Weekend hosts David Gura, Christina Ruffini, and Lisa Mateo speak with:

- Haslinda Amin, Bloomberg News Editor-at-Large at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, and Bloomberg's Washington Deputy Bureau Chief Laura Davison, on the wait for a deal in Iran.

- Dr. Tom Frieden, Former CDC Director, on the push to contain the fast-moving Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and questions surrounding global preparedness for another pandemic.

- Bloomberg News Texas Bureau Chief Julie Fine, and The New York Times Texas Bureau Chief David Goodman, on Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton defeating Senator John Cornyn in a GOP primary, and what to expect from the general election against Democrat James Talerico.

Plus, David, Christina, and Lisa play Pointed: The News Quiz for Risk Takers

For more conversations like this, watch and listen to Bloomberg This Weekend live on Saturdays and Sundays from 7AM-10AM ET. Watch on Bloomberg Television, listen on Bloomberg Radio and stream the show live on the Bloomberg Business app and Bloomberg.com/video.

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