Pete Hegseth ordered America’s troops to “put America first” and “never back down” in a “message to the force” hours after his razor-thin confirmation as Defense Secretary.
In a press release published by the Pentagon on Saturday after his swearing-in ceremony, Hegseth wrote, “The President gave us a clear mission: achieve Peace through Strength. We will do this in three ways—by restoring the warrior ethos, rebuilding our military, and reestablishing deterrence.”
“We are American warriors,” he continued. “We will defend our country. Our standards will be high, uncompromising, and clear. The strength of our military is our unity and our shared purpose.”
“All of this will be done with a focus on lethality, meritocracy, accountability, standards, and readiness,” the former Fox News host and veteran added.
Hegseth, 44, who was among President Donald Trump’s most controversial Cabinet picks, on Friday eked out a successful Senate confirmation by a single tie-breaking vote, cast by Vice President JD Vance.
In addition to questions about whether he had the necessary experience for the position, Hegseth faced blowback over his history of infidelity, an allegation of sexual assault (which he has denied), multiple allegations addressing past struggles with alcohol (which he has also denied) and his past opposition to women in combat roles.
During the confirmation process, Hegseth repeatedly dismissed the slew of news stories that raised questions about his character—including an email reported by The New York Times in which Hegseth’s own mother accused him of abusing “many” women—as a media “smear campaign.”
He also walked back his past criticism of women in the military, saying that “every service member, regardless of gender, who can meet objective occupational and readiness standards for a career field should have the opportunity to compete for jobs in that field.”
As Secretary of Defense, Hegseth will be responsible for overseeing the third-largest and best-funded military in the world.
