Marcos Heads to White House After Positive Talks With Top Officials

But no guarantee that Trump meeting will yield good outcome for Philippines

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WASHINGTON - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. heralded deeper ties with the US after meeting top officials in Washington.

The test of whether that is true will come when President Donald Trump welcomes him to the White House.

That Oval Office encounter, scheduled for July 22, takes place after visits by several foreign leaders eager to make deals before the US-imposed August 1 tariff deadline.

On July 21, Mr. Marcos went to both the Pentagon and State Department as his government tries to slash pending 20 percent tariffs and bolster the bilateral security and investment relationship between the two allies.

"Our storied alliance has never been stronger or more essential than it is today, and together we remain committed to the Mutual Defence Treaty," Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said in remarks alongside Mr. Marcos.

He called the Asia-Pacific "our priority theatre" and said the US was "proud to support our mutual economic vitality, including your efforts to modernize your armed forces and collective defence".

Mr. Hegseth also lauded "remarkable strides" in the relationship since his March visit to the region, pointing to expanded joint military exercises in and around the South China Sea as well as the deployment of cutting-edge missiles and unmanned systems, and the revitalization of defence industrial bases on both sides.

Mr. Marcos spoke of how "you cannot limit Philippine-American relationship to one dimension" and said Mr. Hegseth's March visit "sent a very clear message about our continuing partnership and our continuing understanding of the mutual defence treaty".