Hegseth Hosts Swedish Defense Minister at Pentagon
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Secretary of War Pete Hegseth welcomed Sweden’s Minister of Defense, Pål Jonson, to the Pentagon on December 4, 2025, for a high-level bilateral meeting focused on defense and NATO cooperation.
At the start of the session, both leaders praised the strong military relationship between the United States and Sweden. They highlighted Sweden’s rapid progress since joining NATO on March 7, 2024, alongside neighboring Finland.
Hegseth remarked, “The military partnership between the U.S. and Sweden is extremely important. We appreciate Sweden’s leadership in defense and security across Europe, as well as its swift integration into NATO in just over a year.”
Minister Jonson acknowledged U.S. support for Sweden’s NATO membership. “We aimed not only to benefit from NATO’s security but also to actively contribute to it,” he said. Jonson emphasized that Sweden intends to deliver security and deterrence capabilities across all allied territories.
Both leaders discussed defense spending commitments. Hegseth praised Sweden and other NATO members for pledging 5% of their GDP to defense by 2035. “Sweden has led the way in increasing defense investment, which is significant to our administration,” he said.
They also addressed joint efforts to strengthen defense industrial capacities. Hegseth noted, “Cooperation between our countries is critical to building strong forces and hard power needed to preserve peace.” Jonson added, “We must scale up production and convert economic strength into combat power. Collaboration with the U.S. can help achieve this.”
Jonson also commended Sweden’s engagement in the National Guard’s State Sponsorship Program, highlighting successful military exchanges with New York State.
The meeting concluded with cordial exchanges and mutual appreciation. “It’s great to see you here at the Pentagon,” Jonson said. “We’re grateful to have you,” Hegseth replied.
NEWS DESK
PRESS UPDATE