U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the U.S. has a “new standard” for defense spending for its allies around the world, including those in Asia. 

Hegseth made the remarks Wednesday during a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on the Pentagon’s 2026 budget request. 

The Pentagon chief said that with NATO increasing its defense spending, the U.S. now has a new standard for allied defense spending that all of its allies around the world, including its Asian allies, should move to.

Hegseth said that at the NATO summit next week, the U.S. expects NATO allies to commit to spending five percent of their gross domestic product(GDP) on defense and defense-related investment.

The defense secretary did not mention specific numbers for other allies. 

South Korea’s defense spending stands at around two-point-five percent of its GDP.