News
Hegseth asks Army’s top general to retire, fires two others as Iran war rages
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday asked U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George to step down and retire effective immediately, a Pentagon official told Military Times. The abrupt move, one of three significant changes made by Hegseth the same day, cuts short George’s tenure, which began in September 2023, well before the end of the typical four-year term. The Pentagon intends to replac...[Read More]
Hegseth blasts ‘fat troops’ in rare gathering with military brass
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth lamented against “fat troops” and “woke” policies Tuesday, pledging to create higher physical fitness and grooming standards with gender neutral, age-normed criteria that match the current male fitness standards. “It all starts with physical fitness and appearance,” Hegseth told hundreds of top military leaders during a speech at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia....[Read More]
Hegseth blasts ‘fat troops’ in rare gathering with military brass
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth lamented against “fat troops” and “woke” policies Tuesday, pledging to create higher physical fitness and grooming standards with gender neutral, age-normed criteria that match the current male fitness standards. “It all starts with physical fitness and appearance,” Hegseth told hundreds of top military leaders during a speech at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia....[Read More]
Hegseth campaigns for congressional race, breaking with Pentagon neutrality
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday campaigned for a Republican congressional challenger endorsed by President Donald Trump in an extremely unusual move that broke with the military’s longstanding tradition of political neutrality. Taking the stage at a rally for Ed Gallrein, Hegseth railed against Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican who has publicly feuded with Trump and is facing Gallrein in a...[Read More]
Hegseth Censures Sen. Kelly After Warning About Following Illegal Orders
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced that he is issuing a letter of censure to Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona over the lawmaker’s participation in a video that called on troops to resist unlawful orders.
Hegseth changes policy on how Pentagon officials speak with Congress
Leaders at the Pentagon have significantly altered how military officials will speak with Congress after a pair of new memos issued last week. In an Oct. 15 memo, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his deputy, Steve Feinberg, ordered Pentagon officials — including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff — to obtain permission from the department’s main legislative affairs office before they have...[Read More]
Hegseth defends strikes on alleged cartel boats
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended strikes on alleged drug cartel boats during remarks Saturday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, saying President Donald Trump has the power to take military action “as he sees fit” to defend the nation. Hegseth dismissed criticism of the strikes, which have killed more than 80 people and now face intense scrutiny over concerns that they violated inte...[Read More]
Hegseth defends strikes on alleged cartel boats
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended strikes on alleged drug cartel boats during remarks Saturday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, saying President Donald Trump has the power to take military action “as he sees fit” to defend the nation. Hegseth dismissed criticism of the strikes, which have killed more than 80 people and now face intense scrutiny over concerns that they violated inte...[Read More]
Hegseth Defends Strikes on Alleged Cartel Boats, Says Trump Can Order Use of Force ‘as He Sees Fit’
Though Hegseth compared the alleged drug smugglers to Al-Qaida terrorists, experts have noted significant differences between the two foes and the efforts to combat them.
Hegseth downplays risk to US troops from Iran-Russia cooperation
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth contends that American troops are not in danger across the Middle East – even as the Pentagon announced on Sunday that a seventh U.S. service member had been killed in the war against Iran. The latest casualty, Sgt. Benjamin Pennington, 26, died of wounds sustained in an Iranian attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, according to the Department of Defense. H...[Read More]
Hegseth mulls benefits fix for veterans exposed to radiation at A-bomb test site
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week said he would conduct a review on supporting a bill that would give veterans — predominantly from the U.S. Air Force — the same benefits civilians have been receiving for exposure to radiation at a Nevada test site that has seen more than 900 atomic bomb tests. At a May 12 hearing of the House Appropriations Committee, Hegseth thanked Rep. Susie Lee (D-Neva...[Read More]
Hegseth Ordered Second Strike to Kill Caribbean Boat Survivors: Report
The United States changed its protocols after Secretary Hegseth told officials to “kill everybody” onboard an a Caribbean vessel in September.