The Pentagon has deliberately shifted its strategy in recent weeks to striking suspected narcotraffickers in the eastern Pacific Ocean rather than the Caribbean Sea because administration officials believe they have stronger evidence linking cocaine transport to the US from those western routes,

The U.S. has deployed troops and anti-ship missiles into the northern Philippines as part of almost continuous, joint war drills throughout the country. One goal: to block the Bashi Channel and deny Chinese warships access to the Pacific Ocean if Beijing attacks Taiwan.

China’s defense ministry issued a cautious response, emphasizing its longstanding positions. Dong Jun stressed the reunification of China and Taiwan is an “unstoppable historical trend” and urged the U.S. to be cautious in its words and actions on the Taiwan issue, the statement said.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told his Chinese counterpart the U.S. will “stoutly defend" its Indo-Pacific interests during talks in Malaysia.

BATANES, Philippines >> Marilyn Hubalde still remembers the first time she heard the thunderous chop of military helicopters swooping over this northernmost outpost of the Philippines, less than 90 miles from Taiwan.

Leaders in the Pacific Northwest are largely bullish on the region's continued economic success — but one threat to the region's fiscal progress worries them in particular.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said four narco-terrorists were killed in a lethal kinetic strike on a vessel in the Eastern Pacific on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. (Secretary of War Pete Hegseth via X)

Several Pacific Northwest companies were listed as donors for the $300 million ballroom replacing the East Wing of the White House.