Officials tell conference US will remain a Pacific power
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}U.S. officials have told an Australian conference that the United States will stay committed to remaining a Pacific power despite potential policy changes under President Donald Trump.
The political counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Canberra, John Hennessey-Niland, told the conference Monday that U.S. allies in the Asia-Pacific region can be reassured the Pacific will remain key to U.S. interests under the new administration. He says joint training and information-sharing will increase.
Trump while campaigning for the presidency had called on U.S. allies to invest more on defending themselves and described the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as obsolete.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Amy Searight, a former U.S. Deputy Assistant of Defense for South and Southeast Asia, says Trump "does appear ... to be backing off the campaign rhetoric" in his attitude toward U.S. allies.