Department of Defense Chief Spokesman Sean Parnell provided the following readout:
On July 17, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth hosted Bahrain Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and Prime Minster, His Royal Highness Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa to reaffirm the U.S.-Bahrain defense partnership. Secretary Hegseth commended Bahrain's unwavering support for U.S. servicemembers and their families stationed across the Kingdom. The two discussed regional security issues and opportunities to deepen cooperation on maritime security as part of combined efforts to achieve security and prosperity in the Middle East. Both reaffirmed their commitment to working collaboratively to advance shared strategic objectives in line with President Trump's vision for Peace through Strength.