Cointelegraph reported that Samuel Paparo, Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and Navy Admiral, described Bitcoin as a "valuable computer science tool" and a "means of power projection" at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the 21st (local time). He explained that "Proof-of-Work (PoW) technology imposes high costs on network attackers" and emphasized that "beyond its economic uses, it has important application value in the field of cybersecurity." He continued, stating, "Bitcoin is a P2P trustless means of value transfer, and all technologies that support America's national power are welcome." Admiral Paparo's remarks came in response to Senator Tommy Tuberville's question about the direction of the U.S. response, citing that even China's top monetary policy think tank has begun to consider Bitcoin a strategic asset.