Hegseth in Vietnam to Strengthen Defense Ties and Reassure a Cautious Partner

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was in Vietnam on Sunday, reaffirming a partnership built on healing the scars of the Vietnam War in a trip that will test whether Washington can reassure a vital but wary partner.

Hegseth said addressing the legacies of the war, which ended 50 years ago in April, “remains the foundation of our defense relationship and a top priority for this administration and the Department of Defense.”

Cooperation on postwar issues remains an emotional and political foundation of U.S.-Vietnam relations. Since normalizing ties in 1995, the two countries have worked together to clear unexploded ordnance, recover remains of missing service members and clean up dioxin — the toxic chemical used in Agent Orange — from former U.S. air bases that continue to affect communities.

The visible recommitment to these projects could help stabilize relations and “create space” for further defense cooperation, said Nguyen Khac Giang, a visiting fellow in the Vietnam Studies Program at Singapore’s ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute.

“War legacy cooperation is the foundation enabling deeper defense ties,” he said. “For Washington, it demonstrates long-term responsibility and goodwill to solve lingering war consequences. For Hanoi, it provides essential political cover for expanding relations with a former adversary.”

Giang said the U.S. defense chief’s visit comes at a crucial moment. Vietnam’s Communist Party chief, To Lam, visited North Korea in early October — the first such trip in nearly two decades — while reports suggest Hanoi may pursue the purchase of 40 Russian Su-35 fighter jets. “Vietnam is hedging against doubts about U.S. reliability in the Indo-Pacific,” he said.

“Hegseth’s visit demonstrates Vietnam’s deliberate deepening of defense ties with the U.S., but strictly on Hanoi’s terms,” Giang said.

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.