Tag: Pete Hegseth

Trump Predicts Hegseth Would Be ‘Very Popular’ If Tapped by Blackburn for U.S. Senate, but Denies He’s Considering Replacing War Secretary

Tom Pappert
Hegseth and Blackburn

President Donald Trump on Wednesday denied he is considering a replacement for U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, but predicted Hegseth would be “very popular” if U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) selected him to finish her term in the Senate after she becomes Tennessee’s 51st governor in January.

Amid reports claiming that Trump may hold Hegseth responsible for the lack of a satisfying conclusion to the conflict in Iran, which Vice President JD Vance said caused the Democratic Party victories in the 2026 midterms on Tuesday, the president on Wednesday told reporters that he thinks Hegseth is “doing a great job.”

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Department of War Dismisses Report Claiming Blackburn Could Appoint Hegseth to U.S. Senate as ‘Beltway Gossip by Anonymous Sources’

Tom Pappert
Hegseth and Blackburn

A Pentagon spokesperson on Monday denied reporting that claims U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) may appoint Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to the Senate if she is elected Tennessee’s next governor, dismissing the report as “Beltway gossip by anonymous sources.”

Responding to a Sunday news roundup by Puck, which reported “chatter on the Hill that Hegseth has been angling for” Blackburn’s seat, The Independent reported on Monday that Pentagon spokesperson Kingsley Cortes denied Hegseth was participating in such an effort.

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Hegseth Swears In New Recruits During UT Visit Before Volunteers’ 26-10 Win Over Alabama

Kaitlin Housler
Pete Hegseth

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth visited the University of Tennessee (UT) in Knoxville on Saturday to meet with Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadets and administer the enlistment oath to new recruits before the Volunteers defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide at Neyland Stadium.

Hegseth’s visit was part of his “Send Me Tour,” a military outreach and recruitment initiative launched in September.

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Iran War Has Reportedly Cost Each American Household $2,000

Daily Caller News Foundation

The Iran war — among the most unpopular conflicts in modern U.S. history — has reportedly cost the average American household approximately $2,000, according to a new analysis.

Mark Zandi, the chief economist of financial intelligence firm Moody’s Analytics calculated the past eight months of war cost the American household this amount by analyzing fuel costs, interest rates, and tax dollars allotted towards the military, according to his Tuesday post to X.

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Senators Reportedly Could Ditch Washington Early If They Fail To Make Permitting Reform Deal

Daily Caller News Foundation
John Thune

Senators may leave early for the October recess if they cannot reach a deal on permitting reform, Punchbowl News reported Monday.

Top negotiators said they were close to advancing The Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which would keep senators in Washington longer if it reaches the floor. If an agreement collapses, lawmakers were likely to leave for the campaign trail after voting on a separate college sports bill, according to Punchbowl News.

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Hegseth Reportedly Pulled Plug On Troop Cuts In Europe

Daily Caller News Foundation
Pete Hegseth

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth reportedly pulled the plug on plans to reduce U.S. troop counts in Europe, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Hegseth’s plans were cancelled shortly before he was going to make the announcement at a meeting in Brussels in June, the WSJ reported, citing people familiar with the matter. The proposal was reportedly nixed after it was shared with Secretary of State and National Security Adviser Marco Rubio and other senior White House officials.

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Hegseth Says Iran Ceasefire ‘Not Over,’ U.S. Guiding Ships in Strait of Hormuz ‘Temporary Solution

Just the News
Pete Hegseth

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday morning at a Pentagon briefing that the U.S.-Iran ceasefire “is not over,” amid the sides exchanging fire at or near the Strait of Hormuz.

Hegseth also said the U.S. guiding vessels through the strait, a global shipping channel off the Iranian coast, is a “temporary solution,” according to CBS News.

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Commentary: The Left’s Political Imagination

American Greatness
No Kings

It is difficult to determine whether the bizarro worldview of the current Democrat-media nexus can simply be attributed to either its generic Trump Derangement Syndrome or the attendant Wile E. Coyote/Roadrunner obsessive/compulsive disorder. But the crazy world of the Left increasingly bears scant resemblance to reality.

In this alternate universe, Eric Swalwell was a liberal icon and invaluable asset for years, though admittedly a bit randy and occasionally a serial sexual predator—a fact that the man himself made little effort to hide.

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Report: U.S. Responsible for Strike on Iranian School That Killed Nearly 200

Daily Caller News Foundation
Iran flag

A preliminary military investigation found the U.S. is responsible for the deadly bombing of an Iranian elementary school, The New York Times reported on Wednesday.

A Tomahawk cruise missile killed at least 175 people, including children, on Feb. 28 when it hit the Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school. The bombing was reportedly the result of a targeting mistake by the U.S. military, which was conducting strikes on an adjacent Iranian base, sources familiar with the report’s contents told The New York Times.

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Trump Orders Gov’t ‘Immediately Cease’ All Use of Tech Made by ‘Radical Left’ Company

Daily Caller News Foundation
Trump speaking

President Donald Trump on Friday ordered the federal government to “immediately cease” using technology produced by artificial intelligence (AI) giant Anthropic, which he called “woke.”

Anthropic, the developer of AI chatbot Claude, entered a standoff against Secretary of War Pete Hegseth when he gave the company until Feb. 27 to give the military “broad access” to its AI models, threatening to label the company a “supply chain risk,” Axios reported Tuesday. Using all capital letters, Trump wrote in a Friday post to Truth Social that “THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WILL NEVER ALLOW A RADICAL LEFT, WOKE COMPANY TO DICTATE HOW OUR GREAT MILITARY FIGHTS AND WINS WARS!”

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Democrat Bid to Foment Trump Resistance Inside U.S. Military Draws Blowback

Just the News
Mark Kelly

Democrats released a video last Tuesday purporting to support U.S. service members and intelligence officers who would defy illegal orders, but some of those Democrats have also made thinly-veiled threats that U.S. troops and spies will be in legal jeopardy if they don’t defy such alleged orders.

The half dozen Democrats from the House and Senate — five of them veterans of the U.S. military and one a former CIA analyst — released a video that argued that “you must refuse illegal orders” and professed to servicemembers that “we have your back.” 

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Hegseth Declares End to ‘Woke’ Military Culture, Tells Top Leaders to Resign If They Disagree

Just the News
Pete Hegseth

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told hundreds of U.S. military officials at an in-person meeting Tuesday that the era of politically correct” leadership is over and that those who don’t agree with his approach should resign.

“The era of politically correct, overly sensitive don’t-hurt-anyone’s-feelings leadership ends right now at every level,” Hegseth said at the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia.

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Secret Service Missed Glock in Bag at Trump Golf Course

RealClearWire

White House officials expressed confidence in the Secret Service’s abilities to protect President Trump hours before rowdy protesters stood just a few feet away from Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, screaming “Free D.C.! Free Palestine! Trump is the Hitler of our time!” The outburst occurred Tuesday night inside Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab, a swanky D.C. restaurant a block and a half from the White House.

The pro-Hamas far-left Code Pink demonstrators held Palestinian flags and unfurled smaller banners disrupting Trump’s and his entourage’s arrival for the president’s first dining out experience in a D.C. restaurant since his second term began in January. Trump was captured on video, visibly angry, asking for protesters to be removed from the restaurant.

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DOD Secretary Hegseth Presents Hendersonville Police Department with 2025 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award

Kaitlin Housler
Pete Hegseth

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) Secretary Pete Hegseth traveled to Tennessee last week to present the Hendersonville Police Department (HPD) with the 2025 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.

HPD was one of 15 recipients of this year’s Employer Support Freedom Award, which is presented to employers who have been nominated for the award by a National Guard or Reserve Component Service member employed in their organization.

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Pentagon Says Female Military Recruitment Is Up in All Service Branches: Report

Just the News
female soldiers

Pentagon officials on Tuesday said female military recruitment is up in all services in fiscal year 2025 so far, and military recruitment in general is ahead of schedule.

The Pentagon has not released detailed information on female recruitment in each service so far, but told Fox News approximately 7,260 more women have enlisted in the military this fiscal year than in the same period of the 2024 fiscal year. The number has increased from 16,725 in 2024 to 23,985 now.

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Nearly One-Third of Detainees Released from Gitmo May Have Returned to Terrorism, ODNI Data Shows

Just the News
Guantanamo Bay detention facility ("Gitmo")

by Jerry Dunlevy   Close to one-third of the hundreds of detainees released from detention at Guantánamo Bay since the terrorist attacks of 9/11 are either confirmed to have returned to terrorism or are suspected of having done so, according to new data released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. ODNI revealed in a declassified report late last month that 739 suspected terrorists have been released from Guantánamo Bay after the Cuban island base began to be used as a detention facility in the wake of 9/11. Of those, ODNI assessed that 137 of the detainees who were let go are “confirmed of reengaging” in terrorist-related activities, with the Defense Intelligence Agency putting the number at 140 of the detainees. This means the U.S. intelligence community believes that 18.5% (or, alternatively, 18.9%) of the former detainees held at Gitmo have rejoined terrorism in some form or fashion. Of those confirmed to have rejoined terrorism, 39 are now deceased, 23 are now in foreign custody, and 75 remain at large. Additionally, ODNI assessed that another 97 former Gitmo detainees are “suspected of reengaging” in terrorism, while the DIA put the number at 95 former detainees, meaning something close to 13% of former detainees are…

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Pentagon Dismisses Claims Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth Mulling Bid for Tennessee Governor

Kaitlin Housler
Pete Hegseth

The Pentagon dismissed claims first reported by NBC News that U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is privately discussing a possible run for Tennessee Governor next year.

Tuesday evening, NBC News, citing two anonymous sources who have “spoken directly” with Hegseth, reported that the secretary has “privately discussed the idea of running for political office next year in Tennessee,” specifically a “possible campaign for governor in Tennessee.”

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Gov. Bill Lee Appears with Trump Admin Officials to Announce National Farm Security Action Plan

Tom Pappert
Gov. Bill Lee

Governor Bill Lee joined Trump administration officials in Washington, D.C. for the announcement of the National Farm Security Action Plan unveiled on Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). 

“Tennesseans know that our farmland is our national security, our economic future, and our children’s heritage,” said Lee during the press conference. “The National Farm Security Action Plan puts America First by defending our farmland from foreign adversaries and protecting our food supply, and I thank the Trump Administration for its bold leadership.”

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Hegseth Confirms DoD Ready to Follow Trump’s Orders on Iran as President Weighs Options

Just the News
Pete Hegseth

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday confirmed to a Senate panel that the United States military is prepared to carry out President Donald Trump’s decisions when it comes to Iran, but that right now he is advising the president on the various options. 

Trump told reporters at the White House that he is still deciding how to handle the Israel-Iran conflict, but maintained that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. 

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Anti-ICE Protests Fueled in Part by CCP-Linked Communist Revolutionary Organization and a Tech Millionaire

Just the News
ICE riot

An avowedly Communist revolutionary group with ties to a China-linked Marxist funding network has been at the forefront of organizing nationwide protests opposing illegal immigration crackdowns by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — including protests which spiraled into violent riots in parts of Los Angeles.

The Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) — which openly calls for revolution to bring down the current American system and which publicly sympathizes with murderous Communist regimes — has been a leader in organizing and fueling anti-ICE demonstrations in LA as well as in other cities nationwide.

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Hegseth Calls Biden’s Military COVID Vax Mandate ‘Unlawful,’ Provides Guidance to Restore Careers

Just the News
vaccine military

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the Biden administration’s military COVID-19 vaccine mandate “unlawful,” and issued a memo directing Pentagon officials to reinstate service members affected by it and remove any related disciplinary actions from their record.

Hegseth’s announcement on Wednesday follows Trump’s executive order from January reinstating military members who were discharged for refusing to follow the Defense Department’s COVID vaccine mandate implemented by the Biden administration.

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Trump White House Stands by Hegseth as Reports of Another Signal Leak Emerge

Daily Caller News Foundation
Pete Hegseth

The White House stood by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Monday after The New York Times reported he shared Houthi rebel attack plans in a second Signal group chat with family members.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox & Friends Monday morning that Hegseth has done a “phenomenal job” leading the Pentagon amid The New York Times report. The new accusations follow the first Signal scandal in which Hegseth shared a timeline of attacks on the Houthi rebels after National Security Advisor Mike Waltz accidentally added Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffery Goldberg to the chat.

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Signal App Episode Part of Pattern of Officials Using Private Communications for Public Business

Just the News
Signal app

The use of the private messaging app Signal by senior Trump national security officials is only the latest episode in a long, bipartisan history of those in government using private communications platforms to conduct official business, a problem that experts say would be simple to solve. 

Experts told Just the News that government officials use private messaging apps for many reasons, including convenience or in an effort to avoid public records laws. They say that the Trump administration incident does not seem to suggest the officials were interested in evading the law, but that it will be a wake-up call for the government about its messaging practices.

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Commentary: Trump Strengthened America’s National Security by Firing Some Top Military Brass

American Greatness
Charles Brown

President Donald Trump’s decision to remove General Charles Q. Brown Jr. from his position as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS) has ignited a debate between the left, right, and pundits regarding the president’s power over military leadership and the broader implications of such a decision. President Trump’s decision shines a spotlight on the constitutional, legal, and historical dimensions that empower the president to make these changes while also considering the potential ramifications of this move on Pentagon governance, military cohesion, and our national security.

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Pentagon Reportedly Halting Mass Layoffs of Probationary Employees Pending Review

Daily Caller News Foundation
Pete Hegseth

The Department of Defense (DOD) has reportedly paused its planned mass firings of probationary employees pending further review, two sources told CNN Friday.

The plan to fire nearly 50,000 civilian employees was reportedly paused until Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and the Pentagon’s Office of General Counsel conduct a review of its impact on military readiness, according to CNN. The move was initially part of a plan from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut down on excess spending in the DOD as they enact sweeping budget cuts across the federal government.”

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Notorious Liberal General Faces Ouster by Trump Administration

Daily Caller News Foundation
Gen. Charles Q. Brown

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is reportedly set to out a top general in the Air Force known for his liberal policies, two U.S. officials told CNN Thursday.

Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is reportedly on a list of suggested dismissals provided to congress, according to CNN. The move comes as Trump seeks to make good on his campaign promise to root out “wokeness” in the military.

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EJ Haust Puts Ukraine, Russia Negotiations Towards Peace into Perspective

Kaitlin Housler

EJ Haust, a digital marketing expert and official guest host of The Michael Patrick Leahy Show, analyzed the ongoing negotiations toward peace between Russia and Ukraine, framing the situation between the two countries from the perspective of Americans.

Haust analyzed after listening to U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s remarks at NATO headquarters in Munich this week, where Hegseth said the most likely deal to lead towards a peace deal rooted in “realism” will see Ukraine not joining NATO and Russia continuing to occupy territory it has already seized in Ukraine.

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Trump Admin Shows ‘Leftist Idealogues’ Entrenched in Military Academies the Exit

Daily Caller News Foundation
West Point academy cadets

President Donald Trump announced he was firing the board of visitors of all U.S. military academies on Monday in his continued crusade against “leftist ideologues” in the military.

Trump cleaned out the board of visitors for the U.S. military academies, such as West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy, Coast Guard Academy and Air Force Academy effective Monday, according to an announcement on Truth Social. Trump campaigned in the 2024 election on reducing so-called “woke” politics in the military, saying he would create a task force specifically to root out diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

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Pete Hegseth’s Dad Reflects on Son’s ‘Rollercoaster’ Rise to the Top of the Military

Alpha News
Brian Hegseth

“You can’t be ready for that,” Brian Hegseth said when reflecting on the moment he learned his son, Pete, was President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Defense.

“He went to a Starbucks down the street and he called me and he was like, ‘Dad, I’m going to be picked for DOD,’” Brian said. “We’re just Minnesotans, raising kids and grandkids, and they go off and do special things. It’s pretty cool.”

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Virginia U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine Says Character Attacks on Pete Hegseth Are Best Way to Reach GOP Senators

Tom Pappert
Tim Kaine and Pete Hegseth

U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) said on Sunday that he considered his questions regarding the personal character of Pete Hegseth, who President Donald Trump nominated to serve as Secretary of Defense, to be his best shot at persuading Republican senators against confirming the veteran and former Fox News host.

In an appearance on “Face the Nation,” Kaine said that Republicans in the Senate tend to shy away from presidential nominations who may seem unqualified, or who have serious moral failings, and pointing to the example of former Representative Matt Gaetz’s decision to withdraw his acceptance of Trump’s nomination for him to serve as Attorney General, said he decided to use such concerns against Hegseth.

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Marsha Blackburn Commentary: Across the Board, Trump’s Nominees Are Prepared to Deliver for the American People

Admin
Trump nominees

Today, President Trump took the oath of office to become the 47th President of the United States of America.

For so many in Tennessee and across our country, this is a moment to rejoice. After four years of disastrous leadership from the Biden-Harris administration, we can finally get to work on lowering prices, securing our border, fighting crime, restoring military strength, and so much more.

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