Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense
Department head under Donald Trump (2025–present)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pete Hegseth has served as the United States secretary of defense since 2025.
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Hegseth at an Operation Epic Fury Press Briefing, 2026 | |
| Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense January 25, 2025 – present | |
| Party | Republican |
|---|---|
| Nominated by | Donald Trump |
| Seat | The Pentagon |
 Seal of the United States Secretary of Defense | |
History
Nomination and confirmation
On November 12, 2024, President-elect Donald Trump named Hegseth as his nominee for secretary of defense,[1] after Arkansas senator Tom Cotton announced he would not serve as secretary.[2] Hegseth subsequently ended his contract with Fox News.[3] The selection of Hegseth was seen as a sign that Trump sought to appoint a loyalist to lead the Department of Defense,[a] and his relative lack of experience surprised officials in the department.[b] According to Vanity Fair, Trump's transition team became aware the following day of a sexual assault allegation involving Hegseth that occurred in Monterey, California, seven years prior;[10] The Washington Post reported that senior officials on the team were surprised by the allegation and reconsidered his nomination.[11] Despite the allegation, Trump defended Hegseth[12] and several Republican senators indicated that they would support him.[13] His nomination was threatened by an article from Jane Mayer in The New Yorker detailing alleged financial mismanagement and alcohol issues while leading his veterans' groups,[14] while an NBC News article reported that his drinking habits concerned his colleagues at Fox News;[15] The New York Times reported in December that Trump had begun to consider Florida governor Ron DeSantis as an alternative.[16]
In an effort to retain his nomination amid controversies, Hegseth began a campaign that month. Advisors to Trump privately sought to persuade him to support Hegseth in fear that it would embolden recalcitrant Republican senators, while he could not garner support for DeSantis, according to The New York Times. In addition, the Times reported that Vice President-elect JD Vance had led a group of Republicans, including Donald Trump Jr., former Trump aide Steve Bannon, political activist Charlie Kirk, and Breitbart News reporter Matt Boyle, to support Hegseth's nomination.[17] Trump allies took a direct approach to addressing the controversies, including an interview with Megyn Kelly that impressed Trump.[18] Hegseth appeared at the United States Capitol in December;[19] Trump publicly reaffirmed his support for Hegseth afterwards.[20] The visit gave Iowa senator Joni Ernst, who had threatened his nomination, a positive impression of Hegseth.[21]
Hegseth appeared before the Senate Committee on Armed Services on January 14. He positioned himself as a "warrior" while denying the allegations and his previous claims that women should not serve in combat roles. Hegseth was criticized by Democrats over allegations of sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement, and alcohol issues.[22] Rhode Island senator Jack Reed, the committee's ranking member, noted that Hegseth had used the term "jagoff" in his book The War on Warriors (2024) to derogatorily refer to a Judge Advocate General officer who reprimanded him on the use of rocket-propelled grenades.[23] He did not answer a question from Virginia senator Tim Kaine on whether or not sexual assault, drinking, or infidelity were disqualifying.[24] The Committee on Armed Services voted to advance his nomination 14–13 along party lines on January 20, after Trump was inaugurated.[25] Hegseth's former sister-in-law, Danielle, sent an affidavit to senators alleging that he was abusive to his second wife, Samantha, and that he had issues with over-consumption of alcohol.[26] Hegseth denied having a drinking problem and pledged not to drink if confirmed.[27]
On January 24, Hegseth was confirmed by the Senate in a 51–50 vote. Every Republican senator, with the exception of Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Mitch McConnell, voted to confirm him, while every Democratic senator opposed his nomination, leading to a 50–50 vote. Vance cast a tie-breaking vote to confirm Hegseth.[28] His confirmation was threatened by Senator Thom Tillis, who told Senate majority leader John Thune the day before that he would not vote for Hegseth on the basis of his sexual assault allegations. Persuaded by Vance,[29] Tillis expressed support for Hegseth on X minutes before the vote.[30] His confirmation was the second in US history to be decided by a vice president, after Betsy DeVos's confirmation for secretary of education in 2017.[31]
Initial actions
Hegseth was sworn in as the secretary of defense by JD Vance on January 25.[32] Hegseth identified several priorities for the Department of Defense, including to "revive the warrior ethos", restore trust in the military, redevelop the nation's industrial base, ease the department's process to purchase weaponry, defend the US domestically, engage with Indo-Pacific to deter China, and support Trump's effort to "end wars responsibly"—including the Russo-Ukrainian War and the Middle Eastern crisis.[33] In a call to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu a day after being sworn in, Hegseth said that the United States was "fully committed" to the security of Israel.[34] Hegseth revoked the security clearance and detail of Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and chief of staff of the Army who later became a critic of Trump, and ordered an inspector general inquiry into Milley's tenure as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; the inspector general of the Department of Defense, Robert Storch, was removed from his position when Trump dismissed several inspectors general.[35] According to The Washington Post, the Department of Defense Education Activity began removing certain books on immigration and sexuality.[36]
Hegseth visited the Mexico–United States border with Tom Homan, Trump's border czar, in El Paso, Texas, in February, where he stated that the federal government intended to gain complete "operational control of the southern border".[37] He renamed Fort Liberty to Fort Bragg, its original name honoring the Confederate general Braxton Bragg. The military base was now ostensibly renamed for Roland L. Bragg, a previously obscure soldier who served in World War II.[38] In a meeting before the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at NATO headquarters, he opposed NATO membership for Ukraine and said that returning Ukraine's borders prior to the annexation of Crimea by Russia was "unrealistic".[39] The Department of Defense invited Jack Posobiec, an alt-right political activist to accompany Hegseth, according to The Washington Post.[40] Hegseth moderated his comments the following day, stating that it would be possible for Ukraine to join NATO given Trump's discretion.[41]
In February 2025, Hegseth ordered officials within the Department of Defense to reduce funding on most initiatives[42] and began a purge from within the department,[43] firing three top judge advocate generals and Lisa Franchetti, the chief of naval operations.[44][45] Hegseth stated that "we want lawyers who give sound constitutional advice" rather than "roadblocks to anything".[46] In March, he ordered US Cyber Command to halt offensive operations against Russia, in an apparent effort to encourage Russian president Vladimir Putin to negotiate an end to the Russo-Ukrainian War.[47] Also that month, the Defense Department canceled 91 of its research studies, including those on climate change impacts and social trends, while Hegseth later stated that the Defense Department "does not do climate change crap."[48] Separately, the Trump administration instructed Hegseth to "immediately" present "credible military options to ensure fair and unfettered US military and commercial access to the Panama Canal".[49]
Information disclosures and use of Signal
In March 2025, Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, reported that he had been accidentally included by Mike Waltz in a Signal group chat where Hegseth shared information about attacks in Yemen hours before they occurred.[50] The discussions involved US officials, including Vance and secretary of state Marco Rubio. According to The New York Times, several officials with the Department of Defense expressed shock at the incident, while various former national security officials noted the potential for espionage amid ongoing efforts by China to obtain telecommunications records. A spokesperson for the National Security Council confirmed Goldberg's report and the authenticity of the messages. Hegseth rejected that war plans were shared and called Goldberg "deceitful" and a "discredited so-called journalist".[51][52] Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said no classified information was shared and CIA director John Ratcliffe said Signal was authorized for the group chat.[53]
The incident distressed Hegseth, who threatened to use a polygraph on Christopher W. Grady, the acting chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.[54] Goldberg later published most of the Signal chat.[55] The chat showed that Hegseth posted information including the launch times of F-18 aircraft, MQ-9 drones and Tomahawk missiles, as well as the time when the F-18 aircraft would reach their targets, and the time when the bombs would land.[56][57] Hegseth commented on the chat, writing that there were: "No names. No targets. No locations. No units. No routes. No sources. No methods. And no classified information".[58] The incident led to criticism from both Republicans and Democrats.[59] After the Signal leak, media outlet Der Spiegel searched the Internet using a commercial information provider and password leaks, which revealed Hegseth's personal mobile number, personal email address and its password, and WhatsApp account.[60]
The Wall Street Journal reported that Hegseth had brought his wife to two meetings with foreign defense officials in which sensitive information was discussed, one meeting in February, at Brussels, with NATO officials, and the other in March, at the Pentagon, with British Defense Secretary John Healey.[61] Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported in March that Hegseth's brother, Phil, was listed by the Trump administration as a senior adviser to Hegseth, accompanying Hegseth to meetings, including in Congress, and on official foreign trips. Phil, who previously worked in podcasting and media relations, was confirmed by Hegseth's office to be working in the Pentagon as a Department of Homeland Security liaison to the Department of Defense.[62] That month, The Washington Post detailed a memorandum written by Hegseth orienting the department towards deterring a potential invasion of Taiwan and supporting homeland defense by "assuming risk" in Europe. The document contained passages that were identical to those present in Project 2025.[63]
According to The Washington Post, Hegseth had Signal installed on his computer to circumvent cellular communication issues and to more easily communicate with other Trump officials.[64] CNN later reported that Ricky Buria, a former aide to secretary of defense Lloyd Austin, had set up Signal on Hegseth's computer.[65] According to the Associated Press, the computer was on an unsecured internet line that was not using one of the Department of Defense's IP addresses.[66] In April, the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General announced an inquiry into Hegseth's disclosure of classified information in the Signal chat.[67] That month, The New York Times reported that Hegseth had shared details on the attack in a second Signal chat with his wife, brother, and personal lawyer.[68] At the White House Easter Egg Roll, Hegseth suggested that the revelations were a coordinated smear campaign.[69] John Ullyot, the former spokesman for the Department of Defense, wrote in a Politico Magazine opinion piece hours later that the department was in a "full-blown meltdown" and warned that Hegseth was at risk of losing his position.[70]
According to NPR, the White House began looking for a secretary of defense to replace Hegseth the following day.[71] Nonetheless, he retained support from Trump,[72] who privately did not seek to relitigate a grueling Senate confirmation, enjoyed Hegseth's presence and appearance on television, and believed that firing him would lead to questions over Waltz's retention, while he publicly associated the controversy to "disgruntled employees" and boasted of Hegseth's work.[73][74] Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, stated that "the entire Pentagon is working against" Hegseth.[75] Representative Don Bacon became the first Republican House member to urge that Hegseth be fired.[76] At least five political appointees within the Department of Defense resigned by April 24.[54] That day, Joe Kesper, Hegseth's chief of staff, resigned, but stated that he would remain at the department as a special government employee.[77] The firings and resignations led to a crisis within the Department of Defense that was described as a "free-for-all" by one employee who spoke to Politico.[78]
Continued tenure
In April 2025, Hegseth issued a directive to the secretary of the Army ordering on a sweeping overhaul, prioritizing defending the homeland and deterring China in the Indo-Pacific. Among others, the directive instructing a consolidated budget lines in unmanned systems, counter-drone systems and electronic warfare, force structure changes and expanded use of other transaction agreements. The directive also instructed to downsize or close redundant headquarters as well as merging Army Futures Command and Training and Doctrine Command, and merging four-star headquarters Army Forces Command with Army North and Army South into a single headquarters focused on homeland defense[79] as well as the elimination of at least 20% of four-star general positions to enhance efficiency and operational effectiveness.[80] Hegseth also signed a memorandum to reduce the Department of Defense's civilian workforce, aiming to eliminate duplicative efforts and excessive bureaucracy. The initiative includes offering voluntary early retirement and deferred resignation programs to incentivize top performers and enhance efficiency.[81] That month, Hegseth received criticism from some Senate Democrats over alleged civilian deaths in the Yemen strikes.[82] Hegseth reduced the department's Civilian Protection Center of Excellence, which aims to prevent civilian casualties in war zones, from 40 to 9 personnel in 2025.[83]