U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's recent visit to Asia aimed to deliver reassurance to the Philippines and Japan, the two nations that would be most important for the U.S. in any battle over Taiwan. However, China's recent military actions, including war games around Taiwan and bellicose rhetoric, have raised concerns about the U.S.'s ability to deter Chinese aggression in the region. The U.S. Naval Institute noted that there was not a single U.S. aircraft carrier in the Pacific at the time of China's war games. The Trump administration's mixed messages and the possibility of the U.S. abandoning Taiwan have further fueled speculation about the U.S.'s commitment to defending the island.