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Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. and Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez met Thursday with newly appointed US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz at the White House to reaffirm the “enduring alliance” between the two nations.
With instructions coming from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and coordination with National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, Teodoro and Romualdez met with Waltz barely two days after U.S. President Donald Trump assumed office.
The Philippine government, represented by Teodoro, was among the first countries to engage with the new U.S. administration to discuss critical security matters.
The DND said in a press statement that, Teodoro extended the Philippines’ congratulations to the U.S. on a successful transition of leadership during the meeting, where he also emphasized the shared commitment to peace, stability, and mutual security interests in the Indo-Pacific Region. He also highlighted the importance of strengthening bilateral defense ties in addressing emerging geopolitical challenges.
Waltz on the other hand expressed his appreciation to Marcos’ efforts to uphold freedom of navigation and a rules-based international order.
The US NSA likewise underscored the need to enhance cooperation with the Philippines and looked forward to increasing mutual security activities in support of a free and global Indo-Pacific, an initiative dating back to Trump’s first presidency.
“This engagement marked a significant step in further advancing the decades-long alliance between the Philippines and the United States, signaling a renewed commitment to collaboration under the Trump administration. Both sides expressed optimism about deepening defense and security cooperation in the years ahead,” the DND said.
Aside from Waltz, Teodoro also met with Principal Deputy National Security Advisor Alex Wong, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Andrew Byers, and NSC Senior Director for Asia Ivan Kanapathy.