A new chapter at the Pentagon: Hegseth begins his tenure with a commitment to defend the "sovereign territory of the US"
The defense secretary arrived accompanied by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on his first official day at the Pentagon.
Pete Hegseth arrived Monday to the Pentagon for his first day as US secretary of defense, making clear the role of the Department of Defense (DOD) in national security. Accompanied by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. and in front of a group of reporters, Hegseth reaffirmed his commitment to the Donald Trump administration and stated, "It is an honor to serve on behalf of the president and serve on behalf of the country."
Military reinforcement on the southern border
One of the first issues addressed by the new Pentagon chief was the crisis on the border with Mexico. Hegseth endorsed Trump's executive orders declaring an emergency in the area and designating the cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. He further stressed that the DOD has already begun deploying more troops to install border barriers and support mass deportations, assuring that these actions will continue.
"The protection of the sovereign territory of the United States is the job of the Defense Department," he said. Last week, the Pentagon confirmed the dispatch of 1,500 additional troops, along with intelligence assets and air support, to bolster border security.
When asked about future deployments, Hegseth assured that "whatever is needed" will be provided, using different legal structures for troop deployments, including the National Guard and reservists. "This is a shift. This is not the way things have been done in the past," he stressed.
Politics
Hegseth's first words as secretary of defense: America first and peace through strength
Joaquín Núñez
Pentagon reforms and new directives
In addition to border security, Hegseth advanced that the Trump Administration plans to issue new executive orders directed at the Department of Defense. Among them, he mentioned the elimination of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies within the Pentagon, the reinstatement of military personnel expelled for failing to comply with covid-19 vaccination mandates and the push for a missile defense system, which he called an "Iron Dome for America."
"Our job is lethality and readiness and warfighting," Hegseth said, stressing that his administration will execute presidential orders quickly and effectively.
A historic turnover at the Pentagon
After shaking hands with Attorney General J.D. Vance in the Eisenhower Room, he delivered a speech outlining his priorities as head of the Defense Department. Hegseth emphasized that his tenure will not seek to fight wars, but to deter them, and said, "We will put America first. We will bring peace through strength."
With this appointment, Hegseth became the youngest Pentagon chief since Donald Rumsfeld in 1975. He also became the second member of Trump's cabinet confirmed by the Senate, after Marco Rubio, who won near unanimous support with 99 votes in favor and none against.
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