United States Secretary of Defense
The United States Defense Secretary (SECDEF), which is sometimes referred to as War Secretary in Old Use, leads the Defense Department (DOD). The Executive Branch Department manages the American armed forces, and holds the post of the highest ranking cabinet officer under the Secretary President. In the series of commands, the Defense Secretary reports directly to the President, who acts as Commander-in-Chief. In many countries, this role reflects the duties of a defense minister. The president selects the secretary of defense with the approval of the Senate, making the role a key cabinet position, and by law, both have membership on the National Security Council.
The current secretary of defense is Pete Hegseth, who was nominated by President Donald Trump and confirmed by the Senate on January 25, 2025.
Pete Hegseth serves as secretary of defense, who was nominated by President Donald Trump and officially confirmed by the Senate on January 25, 2025. That same year, President Trump also authorized the use of the historic title as an additional position in the office.
Defense Secretary Outlines Vision in First Message to Forces
“Leading the men and women of the Department of Defense under the guidance of our Commander in Chief, Donald J. Trump, has been the honor of a lifetime. We will always put America first, and we will never give up,” the Defense Secretary said in his first “Message to the Forces.”
“The President has given us a straightforward mission: to secure peace through strength. We will do this in three ways – restoring the warrior spirit, rebuilding our armed forces, and strengthening deterrence,” he continued. “We will strengthen our military by aligning threats with capabilities. That includes revitalizing our defense industrial base, improving acquisition, conducting a full financial audit, and rapidly deploying advanced technologies. We will remain the most powerful and lethal force on the planet.”
During his confirmation process, Hegseth pledged to direct resources toward artificial intelligence, unmanned aerial systems, and counter-drone programs, emphasizing their importance to maintaining future military strength.
In a speech to service members on Saturday, he highlighted the importance of strengthening alliances and partnerships “on the ground and in the air,” “in the air,” and “in the air” to counter China’s aggressive actions in the Indo-Pacific region.
Senate Panel Reviews Pete Hegseth’s Nomination for Secretary of Defense
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) held a hearing today to hear testimony from Pete Hegaseth to become the 29th Secretary of Defense. If confirmed, Hegaseth would lead the U.S. Department of Defense, which has more than 3 million employees and an annual budget of nearly $900 billion, while also serving as the top defense policymaker and senior advisor to the President.
Hegseth earned a bachelor’s degree in politics from Princeton University in 2003 and a master’s degree in public policy from Harvard University in 2013. Between 2016 and 2024, he co-hosted Fox and Friends Weekend. Previously, he served as a military officer in Guantanamo Bay, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
During the hearing, Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) praised Hegseth for the confidence he displayed in his opening remarks.
“This is a Christian symbol, and when the big events surrounding Biden’s inauguration came to light, I was called in to help secure the ceremony,” Hegseth recalled. “But at the last minute, my orders to report to Washington, D.C. were canceled. That never happened.
“I was labeled an extremist,” Hegseth continued. “If this can happen to me, Senator, how many others has it happened to? How many loyal patriots? How many sensible men and women? And we haven’t even discussed COVID. […] This focus on extremism has created a political climate in our ranks where none existed before. That must change.”
Cramer thanked Hegseth for his commitment to preserving freedom and pointed out the irony of his critics. “People who deny you your right to your religion are extremists,” Cramer said. “They are racists, they are bigots. You are the ones protecting their right to expression. Thank you for standing up for that.”
Hegseth outlines plan to eliminate “awakened” influence in military
Hegseth announced a plan to eliminate the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiative with so-called “awakened” generals. Cramer pressed Hegseth on where this influence comes from and who should be held accountable.
“I think almost everyone who has appeared before this committee, or who I have spoken to privately, publicly, on tours or while traveling — whether they wear the four stars or not — would agree with that view,” Cramer said. “There has been a lot of discussion about firing awakened generals, creating purge teams, and all of the ideas that you and I have considered. My suggestion is to give these men and women a fair chance under new leadership. […] I would encourage you to first trust them and expect them to salute the civilian leadership of this nation.”
Hegseth responded emphatically that this awakening has its roots in the political class. He explained that once Donald Trump takes office again, he will issue a new set of legal orders. At that time, military leaders will have the option to follow those directives or not. Hegseth stressed that these orders will not stem from politics but will instead focus on readiness, accountability, high standards and combat effectiveness.
Hegseth outlines vision to restore warrior culture to Pentagon
“President Trump appointed me with a clear mission – to restore warrior spirit to the Department of Defense,” Hegseth said during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee on January 14.
“He, like me, expects a Pentagon that is focused on lethality, competence, combat readiness, accountability and winning wars.”
Hegseth identified revitalizing warrior policies, rebuilding military strength and deterrence as important steps to ensuring warfighting dominance.
Describing himself as a reformer, Hegseth outlined a vision based on accountability, high standards, top performance, innovation, readiness and competence at every level of the Defense Department.
“We won World War II with only seven four-star generals,” he said. “Today we have 44 soldiers. … As headquarters staff grow, battlefield victories shrink. We don’t need more bureaucracy at the top — we need strong fighters at the bottom. My responsibility is to cut the red tape and redirect resources to create lethality.”
At 44, Hegseth has experience as a former Army National Guard officer who led infantry units in Iraq and Afghanistan and oversaw detention operations at Guantanamo Bay. His service earned him two Bronze Star Medals, a Joint Commendation Medal, two Army Commendation Medals, as well as the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Specialist Infantryman Badge.
Describing his new role as the 29th Secretary of Defense as “the most important deployment of my life,” Hegseth emphasized his personal commitment to the job.
A Minnesota native, Hegseth graduated from Princeton University in 2003 and earned a master’s degree from Harvard in 2013. In addition to his military career, he has led veterans’ advocacy groups, hosted Fox News, and written several books.
Leave a Reply