Speaking on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sent a <a href="applewebdata://952E91CB-AC1F-46A3-A670-13239822B5F5/v">warning</a> that the Trump administration would investigate who is buying land around U.S. military bases in the homeland.
“Congressional Republicans have introduced companion bills to halt Chinese purchases outright, and the Pentagon is aligning with USDA and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to identify and shut down high-risk acquisitions,” North Carolina journalist Sloan Rachmuth <a href="https://ncpoliticaltea.substack.com/p/secretary-of-defense-sounds-alarm">noted</a> on Substack.
“I want to know who owns the land around our bases and strategic bases, and getting an understanding of why foreign entities, foreign companies, foreign individuals, might be buying up land around those bases,” Hegseth asserted. “That’s something I should be paying attention to on behalf of the American people, on behalf of my department and on behalf of the president. It’s common sense. And so, food security, just like energy resilience, just like where we get our water, that’s all national security, especially in a contingency.&#8221;
“So we would be asleep at the wheel if we were not fully a party to an effort like this to ensure that our nation had the food supply it needs, but specifically our troops have what they need on our basis so that in those moments, you can rely on us here in the United States to provide that security,” he continued, warning, “So no longer can foreign adversaries assume we’re not watching and we’re not paying attention and we’re not doing something because we are.”
In April, Rep. Pat Harrigan (R-NC) introduced the <a href="https://harriganforms.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Military_Installation_Retail_Security_Act_TEXT.pdf" data-extlink="">Military Installation Retail Security Act</a>, which would ban companies owned by enemy nations from operating retail stores on U.S. military installations. In October 2023, Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/3077/text">introduced</a> the “Protect Our Bases Act,” which would “require the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to annually review and update the facilities and property of the United States Government determined to be national security sensitive for purposes of review of real estate transactions.”
In the North Carolina Senate, lawmakers introduced the <a href="https://www.ncleg.gov/Sessions/2025/Bills/Senate/PDF/S338v1.pdf">NC Farmland and Military Protection Act</a>, which would bar any foreign government from buying land within a 25-mile radius of military installations. The North Carolina House is considering a similarly named bill, which would increase that radius to 75 miles. North Carolina is the home of Fort Bragg, Pope Army Airfield, and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, among other military bases.
“Agriculture is our largest industry, generating <a href="https://www.ncagr.gov/news/press-releases/2024/05/18/economic-impact-nc-agriculture-and-agribusiness-jumps-1111-billion-second-straight-year-strong?utm_source=chatgpt.com">$111 billion a year</a> and covering over 8 million acres. The military is our second-largest sector, adding up to $80 billion annually and supporting more than 650,000 jobs,” Rachmuth noted. “Allowing hostile governments to buy farmland near these sites is not just an economic risk — it’s a direct threat to operational security. Property near runways, radar stations, or training grounds can be used for surveillance equipment, drone staging, or subtle encroachment on military activities.”
In 2023, the people of North Dakota saw a Chinese plan for opening a corn mill near a sensitive military base and took matters into their own hands, blocking the project.
The Grand Forks City Council, aware that the U.S. military did not have jurisdiction to kill the project, voted unanimously in February 2023 to block Chinese food producer Fufeng Group from building the mill only 12 miles from the Grand Forks Air Force Base. In spring 2022, three North Dakotans sold the land for millions of dollars; the town’s mayor, Brandon Bochenski, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/01/chinese-purchase-of-north-dakota-farmland-raises-national-security-concerns-in-washington.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pointed out</a> that the proposed $700 million plant would create more than 200 jobs, but also admitted there were national security concerns.
“The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) considered an October 2022 filing by the Fufeng Group to acquire certain assets in the vicinity of Grand Forks, North Dakota. Grand Forks Air Force Base is the center of military activities related to both air and space operations,” U.S. Air Force Assistant Secretary Andrew P. Hunter <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11704309/Air-Force-shoots-Chinas-plan-build-corn-15-miles-North-Dakota-base.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> North Dakota Senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer in January.
“While CFIUS concluded that it did not have jurisdiction, the Department’s view is unambiguous: the proposed project represents a significant threat to national security with both near and long-term risks of significant impacts to our operations in the area,” he added.
“With regard to Fufeng, if you’re going to strategically decouple, that means we don’t want their investment,” Cramer <a href="https://www.am1100theflag.com/show-episodes/48874-6-03-22-whats-on-your-mind-hour-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> last June.

President Trump Hosts Purple Heart Day Event

Hegseth Warns U.S. Enemies: ‘I Want To Know Who Owns The Land Around Our Bases’

Communist China

Global Politics

Military

Military Bases

Pete Hegseth

U.S.

President Donald Trump promised on Monday to clean up crime and vagrancy in the nation&#8217;s capital by shifting more responsibilities over the district to the federal government. 
Trump made the announcement during a press conference at the White House, where he laid out a number of executive actions he was taking to fight violent crime, decrease homelessness, and otherwise clean up Washington, D.C. 
“I&#8217;m announcing a historic action to rescue our nation&#8217;s capital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam, and squalor, and worse,” Trump said. “ This is Liberation Day in D.C., and we&#8217;re gonna take our capital back. We&#8217;re taking it back.” 
Trump on Monday invoked Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act and declared a public emergency. This granted him to move the D.C. Police Department under the control of the Justice Department. DEA Administrator Terry Cole will head the department, per Trump&#8217;s orders. 
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and U.S. District Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro all appeared alongside Trump at the news conference.
The president also added that he was sending 800 National Guard troops to patrol the streets of D.C. Last week, the administration sent 500 federal agents into the district, including from the FBI, ATF, DEA, Park Police, the U.S. Marshal Service, the Secret Service, and the Department of Homeland Security. 
“The murder rate in Washington today is higher than that of Bogota, Colombia, Mexico City, some of the places that you hear about as being the worst places on earth,” Trump said, adding that “the only language” that criminals understand is when you “knock the hell out of them.” 
The president added that he would like to see Republicans in Congress move to end cashless bail in the district, saying that the policy led to lawlessness in the streets. Trump added that he planned to improve infrastructure in the district and crack down on homeless encampments. 
“We&#8217;re going to replace the medians that are falling down all over the roads. We&#8217;re gonna replace the potholes,” he said. 
Burgum, who briefly spoke during the conference, said that Park Police had cleared over 70 homeless camps from D.C. since March 27. 
“We’re going to be removing homeless encampments from all over our parks, our beautiful, beautiful parks, which now a lot of people can&#8217;t walk on,” Trump said. “We&#8217;re moving the encampments away, trying to take care of people. Some of those people, we don&#8217;t know how they even got there.”

President Trump DC Public Safety Emergency

‘We’re Gonna Take Our Capital Back’: Here’s Everything Trump Is Going To Do To Clean Up D.C.

‘We're Gonna Take Our Capital Back’: Here's Everything Trump Is Promising To Do To Clean Up D.C.

Department of Justice

Donald Trump

Doug Burgum

Homelessness

Pam Bondi

Violent Crime

Washington D.C.

White House

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed on Tuesday that he had overturned a recent order banning traditional tactics used by drill sergeants to train new recruits, a move he says will ensure soldiers are equipped for battle.
On July 30, Col. Christopher J. Hallows, Commander of the 197th Infantry at Fort Benning, Georgia, issued a memo banning &#8220;bay tossing,&#8221; <a href="https://justthenews.com/government/security/make-basic-great-again-hegseth-looks-return-drill-sergeant-shark-attacks-basic">according</a> to Just the News. The practice involves drill sergeants entering trainees&#8217; bunk rooms — called  &#8220;bays&#8221; — unannounced, inspecting wall lockers and bunks, and then flipping over mattresses and lockers that don&#8217;t pass muster, and loudly ordering trainees to quickly clean up the mess.
Hallows said bay tossing violated Army values and amounted to &#8220;abuse&#8221; of the trainees.
&#8220;Abuse of Trainees undermines the trust of the American public by violating Army Values, disrupting military order and discipline, and destroying a positive training environment,&#8221; his memo stated. &#8220;Our mission is to provide competent, capable, well-trained Soldiers of good character, ready to fight and win our nation’s wars &#8230; there is no greater obstacle to the effectiveness of the IMT [initial military training] environment than the improper treatment of Trainees.”
Hegseth disagreed, however, and reversed Hallows&#8217; order.
&#8220;Bottom Line: Make BASIC Great Again,&#8221; a Pentagon source told Just the News. &#8220;Tossing bunks is back. Drill sergeants are back. Getting cursed at is back.&#8221;
A Pentagon source told Just The News that Hegseth&#8217;s decision was rooted in a desire to ensure that &#8220;the people we want to recruit want to be challenged, and the tougher the training the more cohesive the units are &#8230; We don’t want to have training that is designed to breed undisciplined people and recruit those that gravitate to wanting to be wimps.&#8221;
Hegseth also signaled openness to reviving &#8220;shark attacks,&#8221; where drill sergeants greet recruits upon arrival at training camps and order them to do push-ups and other tasks before they&#8217;ve even set their bags down. The exercise is meant to gauge how recruits handle pressure and chaos.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="THE SHARK ATTACK" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5jEbJRTvt6c?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
The practice was largely ended in 2020 and replaced with an exercise referred to as &#8220;The First 100 Yards,&#8221; a slightly more organized and structured training exercise designed to build camaraderie and encourage teamwork under stress.
&#8220;&#8216;The First 100 Yards&#8217; is a U.S. Army Trainees first exposure to their Basic Training (BCT), Drill Sergeants, and their first opportunity to begin their transformation as members of the world&#8217;s most potent and lethal fighting force,&#8221; the U.S. Army Center for Initial Military Training posted on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=477892021959152">Facebook</a>. &#8220;&#8216;The First 100 Yards,&#8217; a homage to their lineage of closing the last 100 yards of the fight, incorporates teamwork into a competition that features mental and physical challenges on the day they arrive to their basic training company.&#8221;
According to Jennifer S. Gunn, the director of public affairs at the Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning, the initial bay-tossing ban stemmed from a specific incident in which a trainee&#8217;s personal property was damaged — and Hallows had initially endeavored to prevent that from happening again.
&#8220;I can confirm the memos are authentic and were the result of a recent review by the brigade command team,&#8221; she explained. &#8220;During a recent training cycle, an instance of corrective action violated regulation and resulted in damage to both government and trainee personal property.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
From Day Zero, Infantry Soldiers are thrown into the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USArmy?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USArmy</a> world.
Our Drill Sergeants teach new recruits how to work as a team, move as members of a platoon and react to stressful situations.
This is The First 100 Yards.
🎥 ➡️ Payton King <a href="https://t.co/KjRAzSz0VA">pic.twitter.com/KjRAzSz0VA</a>
— U.S. Army (@USArmy) <a href="https://twitter.com/USArmy/status/1465365749195841549?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2021</a></blockquote>
&nbsp;

Confirmation Hearing Held For Secretary Of Defense Nominee Pete Hegseth

‘Drill Sergeants Are Back’: Hegseth Reinstates Practices To ‘Make BASIC Great Again’

'Drill Sergeants Are Back': Hegseth Reinstates Practices To 'Make BASIC Great Again'

Politics

U.S. Army

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Tuesday that a Civil War monument removed under the Biden administration from Arlington National Cemetery will be restored to its original location. 
The monument, known as the Reconciliation Monument or the Confederate Memorial, was removed by the Pentagon in December 2023 under President Joe Biden because of its links to the Confederacy. First erected in 1914, the monument sat in a section of the cemetery where around 400 Confederate soldiers were buried. 
“I’m proud to announce that Moses Ezekiel’s beautiful and historic sculpture — often referred to as ‘The Reconciliation Monument’ — will be rightfully be returned to Arlington National Cemetery near his burial site,” Hegseth announced on X. “It never should have been taken down by woke lemmings. Unlike the Left, we don’t believe in erasing American history—we honor it.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I’m proud to announce that Moses Ezekiel’s beautiful and historic sculpture — often referred to as “The Reconciliation Monument” — will be rightfully be returned to Arlington National Cemetery near his burial site.
It never should have been taken down by woke lemmings. Unlike…
— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef/status/1952851480643359156?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The news was first reported by The Blaze. 
In 1906, Secretary of War and future president William Howard Taft <a href="https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Explore/Monuments-and-Memorials/Confederate-Memorial">approved</a> plans to construct a memorial near the Confederate graves. The monument was created by prominent Jewish American sculptor Moses Ezekiel, who fought for Virginia during the Civil War. 
Featured on the monument are 14 shields referencing the 11 official Confederate states, and the border states of Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri. There are also figures of southern soldiers and civilians alongside mythical gods. 
The monument references Isaiah 2:4, a passage in the Bible that talks about turning swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks, a powerful message for a nation recovering from the trauma of war and the deaths of 600,000 Americans. Many presidents, including Barack Obama, have sent flowers to the monument on Memorial Day.
After the removal by the Biden administration, the monument was moved to a Defense Department storage facility in Virginia. 
“At the request of Moses Ezekiel’s family and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Moses Ezekiel&#8217;s sculpture will be returned to Arlington National Cemetery,” Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin <a href="https://www.theblaze.com/columns/opinion/exclusive-moses-ezekiels-historic-sculpture-finally-set-for-installation-in-arlington-cemetery-by-the-southern-graves-it-once-marked">told</a> the Blaze’s Beltway Brief, “where he is buried and where his legacy as a renowned American artist and decorated veteran can be honored.”
Youngkin added that the monument would be refurbished and would be back on display in Arlington by 2027.
The announcement from Hegseth came after the National Park Service <a href="https://www.nps.gov/nama/learn/news/pike.htm">said</a> Monday that it would be returning the statue of former Confederate General Albert Pike to Washington, D.C. The statue was torn down during a riot in June 2020 and never went back on display.

US-CEMETERY-CONFEDERATE-MEMORIAL

Hegseth Returning Civil War Memorial Removed By Biden To Arlington National Cemetery

American Civil War

American History

Confederacy

Department of Defense

Glenn Youngkin

Virginia

Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass immediately declared victory when reports began to circulate that more than 1,000 U.S. troops were being pulled back from her city, but it was Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth who got the last word.
Bass shared a New York Times article <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/31/us/troop-withdrawal-los-angeles.html">reporting</a> the imminent drawdown of 1,350 American service members — who were initially deployed to the California city to protect federal personnel and property as violent protests and riots threatened the work and safety of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents — and added her own comment.
&#8220;Another win for Los Angeles tonight: 1,000 more troops are retreating. We will continue this pressure until ALL troops are out of L.A.,&#8221; she crowed, claiming that the troops were &#8220;retreating&#8221; under pressure from politicians like herself.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Another win for Los Angeles tonight: 1,000 more troops are retreating.
We will continue this pressure until ALL troops are out of L.A.<a href="https://t.co/spbTtO09TS">https://t.co/spbTtO09TS</a>
— Mayor Karen Bass (@MayorOfLA) <a href="https://twitter.com/MayorOfLA/status/1950784025511292967?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Hegseth responded to Bass, explaining that the troops were only leaving Los Angeles because the situation was finally under control — which it certainly was not when they had first arrived — and they were able to redeploy elsewhere having completed a successful mission in her city despite her unwillingness to help.
&#8220;You’re welcome Mayor,&#8221; Hegseth posted. &#8220;These brave troops are redeploying because their mission was so successful. You should be thanking them for saving your city from mobs &amp; chaos. We will continue to support law enforcement—even when you won’t.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
You’re welcome Mayor.
These brave troops are redeploying because their mission was so successful.
You should be thanking them for saving your city from mobs &amp; chaos.
We will continue to support law enforcement—even when you won’t. <a href="https://t.co/BQPKfDQTJk">https://t.co/BQPKfDQTJk</a>
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth/status/1950971699299586222?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Hegseth was not the only one to respond to the L.A. mayor&#8217;s claims.
&#8220;What an actual idiot &#8230; They are not &#8216;retreating.&#8217; They are redeploying, because they did their job, you Marxist,&#8221; actor Dean Cain replied.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
What an actual idiot&#8230; 
They are not &#8220;retreating.&#8221; They are redeploying, because they did their job, you Marxist. <a href="https://t.co/dS1vFXylcD">https://t.co/dS1vFXylcD</a>
— Dean Cain (@RealDeanCain) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealDeanCain/status/1951010235277254804?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;You’re not pressuring anyone or anything. The Trump Administration moved in, quelled the chaos and did the job you’re incapable of doing. Now that the job is done, the troops are being moved out. If we left the them there indefinitely, you’d b**** about that, too. You’re a joke!&#8221; another posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
You’re not pressuring anyone or anything. The Trump Administration moved in, quelled the chaos and did the job you’re incapable of doing. Now that the job is done, the troops are being moved out. If we left the them there indefinitely, you’d bitch about that, too. You’re a joke!
— Suburban Black Man 🇺🇸 (@niceblackdude) <a href="https://twitter.com/niceblackdude/status/1950788442528317898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;You realize that you are completely irrelevant and inconsequential to ANY troop movements, right? You&#8217;re like a spectator in the stands, watching a team win, and then cheering, &#8216;I DID IT!!'&#8221; another said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
You realize that you are completely irrelevant and inconsequential to ANY troop movements, right?
You&#8217;re like a spectator in the stands, watching a team win, and then cheering, &#8220;I DID IT!!&#8221;
— Grateful Calvin (@shoveitjack) <a href="https://twitter.com/shoveitjack/status/1950975200729899402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Approximately 250 troops remain in Los Angeles, according to Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell, and they will remain there as long as necessary to continue protecting federal personnel and property.

DOD Secretary Hegseth And Chairman Of The Joint Chiefs Caine Brief On Iran Strike

L.A. Mayor Declares Victory As Troops Move Out, But Pete Hegseth Has Last Word

L.A. Mayor Declares Victory As Troops Move Out, But Pete Hegseth Has The Last Word

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

Karen Bass

Los Angeles

A new show imagines how a Chinese invasion of Taiwan would transpire — and what consequences it would have.
“Zero Day Attack” —  a 10-part series that draws its <a href="https://csrc.nist.gov/glossary/term/zero_day_attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">name</a> from a cyber attack that takes advantage of an unknown system vulnerability — premieres in Taiwan this week. The show, which is funded in part by the Taiwan Ministry of Culture, highlights <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/with-future-at-risk-taiwan-prepares-citizens-to-resist-potential-chinese-invasion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">growing concerns</a> that the country is not prepared for a war with China.
Some hope it will serve as a wake-up call to the Taiwanese public.
“Presenting such a situation (of conflict) can lead to more discussion about what we should do if it really turns into reality one day,” said Blair Yeh, a 35-year-old engineer, after watching the first episode at the Taipei premier last week.
The show’s 17-minute <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAnZdVG041Y" target="_blank" rel="noopener">preview</a>, which was released last year, depicts a multi-staged hybrid attack by China. It begins when the disappearance of a Chinese plane over Taiwanese waters prompts the People’s Liberation Army to blockade the island.
Stock markets crash, and foreign governments start to evacuate their citizens. Small-scale civil war breaks out as citizens disagree on whether to fight or accede to annexation by China. China pressures jails into releasing criminals and recruits them to serve as a “fifth column.” Utter chaos follows before Chinese troops finally land on the island, formally beginning a war.
Taiwanese producers were long unwilling to tackle the subject, fearing retaliation and boycotts from China. And apprehensions remain: more than half of the show’s crew opted to remain anonymous, and some, including a director, pulled out at the last minute.
Producer Cheng Hsin-mei told the <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/nightmares-of-a-chinese-invasion-inspire-taboo-breaking-entertainment-in-taiwan-d67764d9?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wall Street Journal</a> that she conceived “Zero Day” years ago, but felt the social climate wasn’t right at the time. She says the war in Ukraine pushed her to bring the show to air.
“On the surface, Taiwanese people may not seem to feel the threat, but in reality, that fear exists,” she said of a shift in the public psyche.
The premiere comes as China sends increased signals that it is preparing to attack the island, which it considers its own territory. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth <a href="https://theweek.com/news/world-news/asia-pacific/954343/what-would-happen-china-attempt-invade-taiwan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> at the 2025 Shangri-la Dialogue Defense Summit that a Chinese invasion of the island “could be imminent.”
Per the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, the United States is committed to providing arms for Taiwan to defend itself against possible attacks from China. However, it does not require the United States to use force on Taiwan’s behalf.
Nevertheless, the United States and 19 allied countries are conducting joint <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/papering-over-strains-us-allies-prep-taiwan-war-2025-07-25/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">military exercises</a> in the Pacific to build military readiness and to serve as a deterrent for Chinese aggression, in what are “the largest and most sophisticated military drills held in the Pacific since the end of World War Two.”
Speaking at the summit, Hegseth <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c071xm4x7g7o" target="_blank" rel="noopener">affirmed</a> that “We do not seek to dominate or strangle China, to encircle or provoke. We do not seek regime change… but we must ensure that China cannot dominate us or our allies and partners.”
“We will not be pushed out of this critical region,” he added.
“Zero Day Attack” will begin streaming for American audiences on Amazon Prime on August 15, the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II.

Taiwan Flags

New Taiwanese Show Imagines A Chinese Invasion

Amazon Prime

China

Taiwan

Television

President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are on the cusp of striking a &#8220;mega deal&#8221; that would send battle-tested Ukrainian drones to the United States in exchange for Kyiv receiving another batch of weapons from Washington, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/07/17/us-news/trump-zelensky-discuss-drone-mega-deal-for-us-to-buy-battle-ready-ukraine-uavs/">reported</a> on Thursday.
Zelensky revealed the potential deal in a discussion with the Post, saying, &#8220;The people of America need this [drone] technology, and you need to have it in your arsenal.&#8221; If a deal is struck, Ukraine also promised to share information with the United States on what it has learned about modern warfare during the conflict with Russia, according to Zelensky.
“I think this is really a mega deal, a win-win, as they say,” he said.
The White House did not respond to The Daily Wire&#8217;s request to comment.
Throughout the war, Ukraine&#8217;s drone fleet has proved to be vital in defending the country from Russia&#8217;s aerial assaults. Kyiv&#8217;s drones have also been used to launch attacks on Russia. Last month, Ukraine smuggled 117 drones into Russia, which were used for a massive assault on Russian air bases, taking out 41 Russian aircraft, including roughly one-third of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/how-ukraine-pulled-off-its-massive-drone-strike-inside-russia">reported</a>.
The United States military has fallen behind its adversaries, including Russia and China, in producing drones and training troops to use them in battle, according to a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/13/business/drones-us-military-manufacturing-lags.html">report</a> earlier this week from The New York Times. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged that the United States must catch up on drone warfare technology and <a href="https://media.defense.gov/2025/Jul/10/2003752117/-1/-1/1/UNLEASHING-U.S.-MILITARY-DRONE-DOMINANCE.PDF">moved</a> last week to rescind “restrictive policies” and &#8220;red tape&#8221; getting in the way &#8220;of American manufacturing and warfighter ingenuity.&#8221;
“So while our adversaries have produced millions of cheap drones before us, we were mired in bureaucratic red tape. Not anymore,” Hegseth said in a video filmed alongside U.S. military members outside the Pentagon.
&#8220;In June, President Trump issued an executive order unleashing American drone dominance to bolster our drone industry and arm our warfighters because that&#8217;s what we&#8217;re all about,&#8221; he added.
Hegseth said that the move includes bolstering &#8220;the nascent U.S. drone manufacturing base by approving hundreds of American products for purchase by our military.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance <a href="https://twitter.com/DOGE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DOGE</a> <a href="https://t.co/esaQtswwDb">pic.twitter.com/esaQtswwDb</a>
&mdash; Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef/status/1943748870993064004?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Trump&#8217;s relationship with Zelensky has grown warmer in recent weeks after the Ukrainian president was blasted in the Oval Office in February for his continued requests for American assistance. Earlier this month, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/we-have-to-trump-to-send-ukraine-more-defensive-weapons?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98We+Have+To%E2%80%99%3A+Trump+To+Send+Ukraine+More+Defensive+Weapons">vowed</a> to send Ukraine more defensive weapons as Moscow ratchets up attacks on Ukrainian cities.
“They are getting hit very hard. … We’re gonna have to send more weapons,&#8221; Trump said, adding, “I’m disappointed, frankly, that President Putin hasn’t stopped.”

Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky

Trump Considering ‘Mega Deal’ To Exchange Drones, Weapons With Zelensky

Drones

U.S. Military

Ukraine

Ukraine-Russia War

Volodymyr Zelensky

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed reports on Tuesday that the United States Defense Department would not have any representation at the upcoming &#8220;globalist&#8221; Aspen Security Forum.
As <a href="https://justthenews.com/government/security/pentagon-pulls-all-military-speakers-globalist-aspen-security-forum">reported</a> by Jerry Dunleavy at Just the News, the Pentagon pulled &#8220;roughly a dozen high-ranking U.S. military officials&#8221; who were initially scheduled to speak at the elite security forum, citing the organization&#8217;s left-wing bias.
Hegseth posted a screenshot of Dunleavy&#8217;s headline with just one word of affirmation: &#8220;Correct.&#8221;
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Correct. <a href="https://t.co/tbi8vvTWBu">pic.twitter.com/tbi8vvTWBu</a>
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth/status/1944799112840278182?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson told the outlet, &#8220;The Department of Defense has no interest in legitimizing an organization that has invited former officials who have been the architects of chaos abroad and failure at home.&#8221;
&#8220;They are antithetical to the America First values of this administration. Senior representatives of the Department of Defense will no longer be participating in an event that promotes the evil of globalism, disdain for our great country, and hatred for the President of the United States,&#8221; she added.
According to Dunleavy&#8217;s report, approximately a dozen officials were slated to speak at the event — including the commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and Navy Secretary John Phelan — but as of this past weekend, none will be attending.
&#8220;Senior Department of Defense officials will no longer be participating at the Aspen Security Forum because their values do not align with the values of the DoD,&#8221; Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell announced on Monday. &#8220;The Department will remain strong in its focus to increase the lethality of our warfighters, revitalize the warrior ethos, and project Peace Through Strength on the world stage. It is clear the ASF is not in alignment with these goals.&#8221;
The Aspen Institute, according to right-leaning think tank The Capital Research Center, spent more than $95 million in 2022 alone on &#8220;addressing issues including economic distress, educational opportunity, environmentalism, and the left-wing concept of racial justice.&#8221;
Since taking over the helm at the Pentagon, Hegseth has made it his mission to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/we-dont-play-your-little-games-hegseth-smokes-reporter-asking-why-he-didnt-mention-female-pilot">strip politics</a> from the military and the Defense Department, arguing that social experimentation has no place in the DoD.

Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth Holds Pentagon Press Conference On Iran Strikes

Hegseth Yanks U.S. Military Participants From ‘Globalist’ Security Forum

Security

The Pentagon is cutting bureaucratic hurdles to unleash “American drone dominance” and outcompete hostile powers such as China and Russia.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced a slate of reforms to jolt U.S. production of drones and equip U.S. service members with the skills to use them effectively. The Department of Defense posted a video on social media Thursday of Hegseth signing orders delivered by drone.
“While our adversaries have produced millions of cheap drones before us, we were mired in bureaucratic red tape. Not anymore,” Hegseth said. 
After noting that President Donald Trump signed an executive <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/articles/2025/06/president-trump-signs-executive-orders-on-drones-flying-cars-and-supersonics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">order</a> in June to energize the drone industry in the United States, Hegseth said, &#8220;Today, I&#8217;m rescinding restrictive policies that stifle production. And this will unleash American manufacturing and the ingenuity of our war fighters.”
The Pentagon’s newest drone strategy has three main pillars, according to Hegseth. First, the Department of Defense will prioritize buying American-made drones to help expand drone-making on the domestic front.
Second, Hegseth said the military would leverage the United States’ &#8220;world-leading engineers and AI experts&#8221; to arm combat units with drones. And third, the secretary plans to stamp out a risk-averse mindset that he suggested has held back senior military staff from innovating with drones.
“We&#8217;re going to train as we expect to fight,” Hegseth said. “Senior officers must overcome bureaucratic risk aversion in budgeting, weaponing, weaponeering, and training.”
“This is the future. We&#8217;re in the fight. We&#8217;re in the fight to win it. And we’re never going to back down,” he concluded.
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Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance <a href="https://twitter.com/DOGE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DOGE</a> <a href="https://t.co/ueqQPc7rKI">pic.twitter.com/ueqQPc7rKI</a>
&mdash; Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef/status/1943401411431026977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Hegseth’s orders will allow for the first time commanders with the ranks of colonel or captain to obtain and test drones that meet national security standards, according to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/hegseth-tears-up-red-tape-orders-pentagon-begin-drone-surge-trumps-command">Fox News</a>, which first obtained the memos signed on Thursday. The orders also cut through a series of approval processes so that the drones may be tested immediately.
The orders reclassified drones from being durable military assets to consumables, taking them out of bureaucratic tracking systems and allowing faster acquisition. The orders also directed military officials to coordinate with the Federal Aviation Administration on expanding range restrictions where needed and setting up sites for military training in drone use.
Drones have recently played major roles in the Ukraine-Russia war and in the Middle East. 
Ukraine and Russia used drones to attack and hamper each other’s forces. Israel employed drones as part of its &#8220;Operation Rising Lion&#8221; to damage Iran’s military command structure and nuclear program.

Hegseth Unleashes U.S. Military ‘Drone Dominance’

U.S. Military To Unleash ‘American Drone Dominance’ To Compete With China, Russia

Pentagon

United States

Defense Department Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson torched The Atlantic over a hit piece claiming that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is making policy changes that will effectively &#8220;sideline&#8221; women in the military.
Staff writer Missy Ryan shared the article along with the following tease line, on X: &#8220;NEW: Will Pete Hegseth&#8217;s &#8216;War on Woke&#8217; sideline women in the military? A team appointed by Hegseth to look at fitness/combat standards will review and possibly redo the &#8216;women in combat&#8217; study that led to the integration of ground combat roles 10 yrs ago.&#8221;
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NEW: Will Pete Hegseth&#8217;s &#8216;War on Woke&#8217; sideline women in the military? A team appointed by Hegseth to look at fitness/combat standards will review and possibly redo the &#8216;women in combat&#8217; study that led to the integration of ground combat roles 10 yrs ago. <a href="https://t.co/HlQo4B1Bzi">https://t.co/HlQo4B1Bzi</a>
— Missy Ryan (@missy_ryan) <a href="https://twitter.com/missy_ryan/status/1943298384762425494?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The article suggested that Hegseth was so driven to remove &#8220;woke&#8221; culture from the military that he was willing to undo years of &#8220;progress&#8221; that had ultimately led to women serving in combat roles.
Wilson responded first by mocking the outlet for apparently updating the article with a new headline, and suggested that its first effort had not been &#8220;woke&#8221; enough.
&#8220;.@TheAtlantic headline wasn&#8217;t woke enough so they changed it,&#8221; she posted, sharing screenshots of the original and the update, in side-by-side format.
The original headline read, &#8220;Will Pete Hegseth&#8217;s &#8216;War On Woke&#8217; Sideline Women?&#8221; — and the updated version read, &#8220;The Backdoor Way That Pete Hegseth Could Keep Women Out Of Combat.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/TheAtlantic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheAtlantic</a> headline wasn&#8217;t woke enough so they changed it. <a href="https://t.co/2gKhbWctoy">https://t.co/2gKhbWctoy</a> <a href="https://t.co/jL6xMhYD6j">pic.twitter.com/jL6xMhYD6j</a>
— Kingsley Wilson (@PressSecDOD) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSecDOD/status/1943336054389436886?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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In a follow-up post, Wilson noted that she had given the outlet a comment for the story — but that it had been selectively edited prior to publication.
&#8220;.@TheAtlantic also didn&#8217;t want to run my whole statement because it would have discredited their story,&#8221; she said, sharing the full statement: &#8216;Military standards across the board have largely been ignored by leadership of the past. Under President Trump and Secretary Hegseth, the U.S. military is getting back to basics and restoring the warrior ethos. Our standards for combat arms positions will be elite, uniform, and sex neutral because the weight of a rucksack or a human being doesn&#8217;t care if you&#8217;re a man or a woman. We will not compromise our standards to satisfy quotas or an ideological agenda—this is common sense.'&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/TheAtlantic?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheAtlantic</a> also didn&#8217;t want to run my whole statement because it would have discredited their story:
“Military standards across the board have largely been ignored by leadership of the past. Under President Trump and Secretary Hegseth, the U.S. military is getting back to… <a href="https://t.co/6I2rK5CGqo">https://t.co/6I2rK5CGqo</a>
— Kingsley Wilson (@PressSecDOD) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSecDOD/status/1943336313417015519?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The only part of Wilson&#8217;s statement that was used was her description of  to goal standards for combat positions: &#8220;elite, uniform, and sex neutral, because the weight of a rucksack or a human being doesn’t care if you’re a man or a woman.&#8221;

President Trump Visits Fort Bragg To Honor U.S. Forces

Defense Department Press Secretary Torches The Atlantic For Selectively Editing Statement

Combat

Media

The Atlantic

Women

WASHINGTON—The Defense Department is withdrawing the nomination of Rear Adm. Michael &#8220;Buzz&#8221; Donnelly, The Daily Wire can first report, under whose command drag performances took place on board the USS Ronald Reagan.
Donnelly served as commanding officer of the aircraft carrier from April 2016 to September 2018, during which time Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley performed as a drag queen under the name &#8220;Harpy Daniels&#8221; at a department-sanctioned &#8220;Morale, Welfare, and Recreation&#8221; event on the aircraft carrier.
The Defense Department <a href="https://www.stripes.com/branches/navy/2025-06-24/7th-fleet-nomination-buzz-donnelly-18232720.html">announced </a><a href="https://www.stripes.com/branches/navy/2025-06-24/7th-fleet-nomination-buzz-donnelly-18232720.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on June 18</a> that President Donald Trump had nominated Donnelly for promotion to vice admiral and an appointment as commander of the 7th Fleet, the largest overseas force that the Navy has.
Following inquiries from The Daily Wire about Donnelly and the drag queen shows he permitted on board the USS Ronald Reagan, a source at the Defense Department said that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is withdrawing Donnelly&#8217;s nomination to lead the 7th Fleet.
Hegseth is looking for a new 7th Fleet commander, the source shared.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
This dude got his start doing drag shows on the USS Ronald Reagan in 2017.
The commander of the Reagan in 17, Michael P. Donnelly, is up for promotion now. Thankfully, <a href="https://twitter.com/SenTuberville?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenTuberville</a> is holding up his nom over the Pentagon funding abortions.
This is a fight worth having. <a href="https://t.co/WkeZuySz6e">https://t.co/WkeZuySz6e</a>
— William Thibeau (@WilliamThibeau) <a href="https://twitter.com/WilliamThibeau/status/1653799409530855424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
Donnelly drew national attention in 2023 when Sen. Tommy Tuberville held up his promotion to rear admiral as part of his blockade on Defense Department promotions. The Alabama Republican was fighting President Joe Biden&#8217;s policy providing three weeks of paid leave and reimbursement of travel expenses for military personnel and their dependents who wanted abortions.
Tuberville argued that the policy was one of many taxpayer-funded Defense Department initiatives unrelated to the agency&#8217;s mission of protecting the United States. He called on the former Navy leadership in a May 2023 letter to name the officers responsible for funding and promoting drag queen performances.
<div id="attachment_945215" style="width: 471px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-pentagon-ditches-admiral-who-allowed-drag-queen-performances-on-aircraft-carrier/231126-n-ty650-1169" rel="attachment wp-att-945215"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-945215" class="wp-image-945215 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/231126-N-TY650-1169-461x576.jpeg" alt="Defense Department photo of Admiral Donnelly. " width="461" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/231126-N-TY650-1169-461x576.jpeg 461w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/231126-N-TY650-1169-240x300.jpeg 240w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/231126-N-TY650-1169-768x960.jpeg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/231126-N-TY650-1169-1229x1536.jpeg 1229w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/231126-N-TY650-1169-1639x2048.jpeg 1639w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/07/231126-N-TY650-1169-scaled.jpeg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 461px) 100vw, 461px" /></a>Defense Department photo of Admiral Donnelly.</div>
A number of legacy media outlets, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/navy-drag-queen-harpy-daniels-serving-looks-country-n905056">including NBC</a> and the Military Times, had highlighted the drag shows that occurred during Donnelly&#8217;s tour.
&#8220;Navy drag queen &#8216;Harpy Daniels&#8217; is serving looks — and the country,&#8221; NBC headlined their story. The Military Times report was replete with photos of Kelley in drag, including one where he is doing a split in front of his fellow service members.
This type of significant press attention would have been &#8220;a standard reporting requirement directly to Captain Donnelly at the time,&#8221; William Thibeau, director of The American Military Project at The Claremont Institute, <a href="https://www.dailysignal.com/2023/05/19/tuberville-blocking-promotion-navy-captain-who-allowed-drag-shows-uss-ronald-reagan/">told The Daily Signal at the time</a>.
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&#8220;Every military officer takes command of units large and small with the understanding they are responsible for everything that does and does not happen under their command,&#8221; Thibeau explained in 2023. &#8220;It&#8217;s the basic truth of military leadership, whether you command an infantry company or an aircraft carrier.&#8221;
&#8220;The USS Ronald Reagan drag shows of 2017 and 2018 were not random acts of entertainment for sailors, but were sanctioned Navy programs under the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) department of the ship,&#8221; he noted. &#8220;As commander of the ship, Captain Donnelly would have been ultimately responsible for this program.&#8221;
</div>
Donnelly is a 2002 graduate of the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island and served as commanding officer for Strike Fighter Squadron 154 (VFA-154), the last commanding officer of USS Denver deployed to Sasebo, Japan, commanding officer of USS Ronald Reagan deployed to Yokosuka, Japan and commander of Task Force Seven Zero/Carrier Strike Group Five.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Testifies In Senate Hearing

EXCLUSIVE: Pentagon Ditches Admiral Who Allowed Drag Queen Performances On Aircraft Carrier

Drag Queens

With the signing of the Big Beautiful Bill in the rearview mirror, most media networks pivoted back to panicking over the tariffs that are set to &#8220;boomerang&#8221; back to the levels initially set by President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration by August 1 — but Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth took the opportunity to talk about where the Defense Department is headed under his leadership.
For those who don&#8217;t spend their Sunday mornings glued to the television — and their Sunday afternoons attempting to dig through a week&#8217;s worth of network and cable news media spin — The Daily Wire has compiled a short summary of what you may have missed.
Hegseth spoke with the president&#8217;s daughter-in-law on &#8220;My View&#8221; with Lara Trump, and he addressed the controversy over the recent strike on Iranian nuclear targets — carried out by the United States Air Force — in addition to laying out some of his goals for the military in the coming months.
One of the key points Hegseth brought up was how he saw President Trump giving him free reign to do what was best for American service members.
&#8220;I wish everybody could have the opportunity to watch how President Trump operates. How he truly puts America first in EVERY scenario,&#8221; Hegseth explained.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
. <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a> joined <a href="https://twitter.com/LaraLeaTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LaraLeaTrump</a>
Sec. Hegseth: “I wish everybody could have the opportunity to watch how President Trump operates.
How he truly puts America first in EVERY scenario.” <a href="https://t.co/I4lIRXQ1n2">pic.twitter.com/I4lIRXQ1n2</a>
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DODResponse/status/1941667228530651559?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
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As he has in previous statements, Hegseth addressed the military&#8217;s physical training standards, promising to deliver on his promise to raise the standards across the board. &#8220;We&#8217;re trying to set the standard and raise the standard,&#8221; Hegseth said, arguing that PT was &#8220;one of the most basic things&#8221; that the military did — and noted it didn&#8217;t matter whether the service members were male or female, their responsibilities would still be the same.
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OUR STANDARDS WILL BE HIGH. <a href="https://t.co/7NrjZpvsrg">pic.twitter.com/7NrjZpvsrg</a>
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DODResponse/status/1941669472013520967?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Hegseth, a decorated Army National Guard veteran himself, jabbed at previous Defense Secretaries, many of whom were so far removed from the rank and file by the time they&#8217;d achieved that position that it often seemed they were out of touch with the troops they&#8217;d been charged with leading.
&#8220;It wasn&#8217;t that long ago I was in their shoes (our military), feeling like someone like the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of the Army, feeling like they are so detached they can&#8217;t understand,&#8221; Hegseth said, explaining why he made a point of doing PT with the troops as he traveled from base to base around the world. &#8220;I&#8217;ve tried to close that gap.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
. <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a> &#8220;It wasn&#8217;t that long ago I was in their shoes (our military), feeling like someone like the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary of the Army, feeling like they are so detached they can&#8217;t understand.
I&#8217;ve tried to close that gap.” <a href="https://t.co/kqWvjvlfjG">pic.twitter.com/kqWvjvlfjG</a>
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DODResponse/status/1941672209367306579?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Trump got a taste of what service members go through on a regular basis, joining the Defense Secretary in a PT session with the troops as well.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
. <a href="https://twitter.com/LaraLeaTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LaraLeaTrump</a> joined America&#8217;s <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a> for PT <a href="https://t.co/QbfLT1tuIa">pic.twitter.com/QbfLT1tuIa</a>
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DODResponse/status/1941672426686812411?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Hegseth took some of the time to talk about the recent strikes on Iran, saying that the overall success of Operation Midnight Hammer had shown &#8220;the skill and capabilities of the United States Military.&#8221;
&#8220;The rest of the world paid attention too,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Other countries noticed what America can do.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
. <a href="https://twitter.com/LaraLeaTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LaraLeaTrump</a> &#8220;Walk us through what you can of this mission (Operation Midnight Hammer) and why it was so significant.&#8221;<a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a> &#8220;It shows you the skill and capabilities of the United States Military&#8230;
The rest of the world paid attention to. Other countries noticed what… <a href="https://t.co/f4n8Il1Aj6">pic.twitter.com/f4n8Il1Aj6</a>
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DODResponse/status/1941673876246716600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Trump asked Hegseth about the legacy media reports that had undercut the mission&#8217;s success, citing Iranian sources that had claimed the nuclear targets had not actually been destroyed.
&#8220;They are so deranged by President Trump (the fake news) they HAVE TO FIND A WAY to undermine him,&#8221; he said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
. <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a> on the legacy media reporting of Operation Midnight:
&#8220;They are so deranged by President Trump (the fake news) they HAVE TO FIND A WAY to undermine him.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/BhLC3vr3E5">pic.twitter.com/BhLC3vr3E5</a>
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DODResponse/status/1941677809266491600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The overall message that Hegseth wanted to share was simple: President Donald Trump had American service members top of mind when he made decisions about what the military was going to do or how certain actions would be carried out.
&#8220;Watching President Trump make those decisions reveals again the core that everybody knows and loves about him. Which is that he puts America and Americans FIRST,&#8221; he said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Our warfighters can sleep at night knowing that their commander-in-chief has their back.
. <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a> &#8220;Watching President Trump make those decisions reveals again the core that everybody knows and loves about him.
Which is that he puts America and Americans FIRST.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/c9NRjyMTfh">pic.twitter.com/c9NRjyMTfh</a>
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DODResponse/status/1941675235176046798?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
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As for his goals for the remainder of President Trump&#8217;s second term in office, Hegseth made it clear that he was keeping things simple: his plan, he told Trump, was to &#8220;keep going.&#8221;
&#8220;Driving change into institutions is a difficult thing to do,&#8221; he said, but noted that the military — across all branches — was already seeing a positive response to the changes in record-setting recruitment numbers. &#8220;There&#8217;s still resistance to change in certain places &#8230; Washington, D.C., can be very good at paying too much and taking too long. And if you have a businessman — which we do, as commander in chief — he has an expectation that we get it under cost and faster. So there&#8217;s a ton of work left to be done.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
. <a href="https://twitter.com/LaraLeaTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LaraLeaTrump</a> &#8220;What are your goals going forward over the next three and a half years?&#8221;<a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a> &#8220;KEEP GOING.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/5vOvxooTtz">pic.twitter.com/5vOvxooTtz</a>
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DODResponse/status/1941678271805968803?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Defense Secretary Hegseth Testifies Before House Appropriations Subcommittee

Spin Cycle: While Most Pivot Back To Tariffs, Pete Hegseth Gives Update On Defense Priorities

Lara Trump

Tariffs

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