# Pentagon official says US is not disengaging from Asia, seeks ‘partners, not protectorates’

https://mins.news/en/item/17879

- Reuters, 2026-08-10 08:05 UTC
- Politics
- Original: https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/us-not-disengaging-asia-seeks-partners-not-protectorates-says-pentagon-official-2026-08-10/?link_source=ta_bluesky_link&taid=6a798638dd72780001fe7d25

> A senior Pentagon official said the United States is not pulling back from Asia. Instead, Washington is “digging in” across the Indo-Pacific to preserve what it described as a favorable balance of power. The official said the United States wants its partners to assume more responsibility for their own defense. The approach is framed around partners rather than protectorates.