Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met on March 2 with the Bahrain Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa at the Pentagon. Secretary Austin reaffirmed the strength of the U.S. bilateral defense partnership with Bahrain, a Major Non-NATO Ally of the United States.
Secretary Austin noted Bahrain’s role as a leader in regional security and acknowledged the vision and leadership of the Crown Prince in growing the U.S.-Bahraini strategic partnership. He commended Bahrain on the momentous achievement of hosting the recent historic visits of Israel’s Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, and on concluding a defense cooperation agreement with Israel.
Both leaders condemned the unprovoked and unjust invasion of Ukraine and the importance of upholding the international rules-based order, before addressing the importance of expanding regional cooperation to confront the full scope of threats from Iran, including strengthening air and missile defense and bolstering maritime security.
Secretary Austin thanked the Crown Prince for Bahrain’s longstanding hospitality to U.S. forces—including hosting U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and the Fifth Fleet. He also underscored U.S. gratitude for the Crown Prince’s personal engagement in supporting the 2021 Afghanistan evacuation mission, which exemplified Bahrain’s dependable partnership.