Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell provided the following statement:
On June 1, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth spoke on the phone with Bahrain Crown Prince and Prime Minister, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al Khalifa to discuss the bilateral defense relationship between the United States and Bahrain and opportunities to advance shared interests. Secretary Hegseth thanked His Royal Highness for Bahrain's hospitality in hosting U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT) and longstanding commitment to regional freedom of navigation. The two reviewed regional security issues and opportunities to advance a safer and more secure region in line with President Trump's Peace Through Strength agenda.