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Latest news on Pete Hegseth, US Defense Secretary and Secretary of War under Trump, covering Pentagon policy, military operations, and controversies.

Pete Hegseth serves as the 29th United States Secretary of Defense, confirmed by the Senate in January 2025 in a razor-thin 51–50 vote that required Vice President JD Vance to cast the tie-breaking ballot. A former co-host of Fox & Friends Weekend and Army National Guard veteran with deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay, Hegseth was educated at Princeton University and Harvard Kennedy School, and holds two Bronze Star Medals and a Combat Infantryman Badge. His appointment marked an unusual transition from cable news commentary to one of the most powerful positions in the US government.

As Defense Secretary, Hegseth has overseen significant military operations, including the US role in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in January 2026 and a joint US-Israeli campaign against Iran codenamed "Epic Fury", launched in March 2026. He has also faced sustained scrutiny over US military strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea, with some legal experts questioning whether attacks on survivors violated the laws of armed conflict. The "Signalgate" controversy, in which Hegseth shared sensitive strike plans via the Signal messaging app, prompted an inspector general investigation that found he had risked compromising operational security.

Hegseth has pursued sweeping changes at the Pentagon, championing what he calls a "warrior ethos" and pushing to rebrand the Department of Defense as the "Department of War", a name change formalised as a secondary title through a presidential executive order in September 2025. He has ordered the elimination of diversity, equity, and inclusion programmes across the military, banned transgender service members, and cut Pentagon ties with elite universities including Harvard and Columbia, citing what he described as anti-military bias. His acquisition overhaul has been characterised as the most far-reaching in decades, prioritising speed over traditional compliance processes.

Hegseth's tenure has drawn both fervent support and sharp criticism. Supporters praise his advocacy for veterans and his commitment to reshaping military culture, while critics question his qualifications for leading the world's largest defence organisation, pointing to his background as a television presenter rather than a senior military or government leader. His confirmation hearings featured contentious exchanges over allegations of sexual misconduct, excessive drinking, and financial mismanagement at veterans' organisations he previously led, all of which he has denied. His decision to bring family members into Pentagon operations, including his wife to sensitive meetings and his brother as a senior adviser, has also attracted controversy.

Before entering government, Hegseth built a profile through conservative media and veterans' advocacy. He served as executive director of Vets for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America, and joined Fox News as a contributor in 2014 before becoming a weekend co-host in 2017. A published author of several books including the bestselling "The War on Warriors", he became closely aligned with Donald Trump's political movement and was considered for senior roles during Trump's first term. His path from campus conservative at Princeton to the Pentagon reflects the broader influence of media personalities in American political life.

With Hegseth at the centre of major military decisions and ongoing policy debates, staying informed on his actions and their consequences is essential. The ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ Pete Hegseth feed brings together the latest reporting from a wide range of sources, covering everything from defence policy and military operations to Senate hearings and Pentagon controversies, ensuring readers have access to comprehensive and up-to-date coverage.