On January 24, 2017, just four days after Donald Trump was inaugurated for his first term in office, the FBI sent two agents to the White House to interrogate Trump&#8217;s national security adviser, Michael Flynn. It wasn&#8217;t billed as an interrogation at the time; they convinced Flynn that it was just an opportunity for a friendly chat. But in retrospect, their goal could not have been any more clear: They wanted to manufacture a pretext to secure Flynn&#8217;s termination. Getting rid of Flynn would enable the FBI to continue to conduct a series of fraudulent investigations into the Trump administration. It would insulate the bureau from any kind of large-scale reform. And it would help the FBI spread the narrative that the Trump administration was secretly working for Russia in some way.
Therefore, the FBI asked Flynn a few questions in the White House. Then they convinced Mike Pence that Flynn had lied to them — even though to this day, no one can explain what exactly Flynn said, because the conversation wasn&#8217;t recorded. In any event, Pence took the FBI&#8217;s word for it. Michael Flynn was fired after less than a month. His tenure as national security advisor was the shortest in American history.
<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/ep-1580-the-coordinated-hit-job-on-pete-hegseth-must-be-exposed-and-defeated-member-exclusive?elementPosition=0&amp;row=2&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+Episodes&amp;rowType=Horizontal+Show+Episodes+Carousel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: The Matt Walsh Show</a></h3>
What happened to Michael Flynn is worth recalling this week because it was not a one-off. This wasn&#8217;t a random act of sabotage by some unelected, shadowy officials. It was, in fact, standard operating procedure. It is the default response of a bureaucracy that feels threatened. They will come up with a smear campaign, launder it through sympathetic media outlets, and ultimately pressure the decision-makers to get rid of their target. Eight years ago, this is precisely how they got rid of Michael Flynn. And right now, it&#8217;s how they&#8217;re trying to destroy Donald Trump&#8217;s defense secretary, Pete Hegseth.
From the moment Hegseth was nominated, there was a concerted effort to smear him as an alcoholic who was too inexperienced to do the job. It was almost like the Brett Kavanaugh hearings all over again. Anonymous accusations began surfacing every other day. We were even told, if you can believe it, that Pete Hegseth once celebrated St. Patrick&#8217;s Day, live on the air on &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends.&#8221; That was supposed to be profoundly scandalous. In reality, the point of that fake scandal was never to convince anyone of anything. Instead, the point was to send a message to the incoming Trump administration. The message was that the most powerful forces in Washington did not want Pete Hegseth to be confirmed. They wanted Donald Trump to pull his nomination and select someone more conventional — someone who would be more responsive to the needs of defense contractors, for example.
But Trump didn&#8217;t abandon Hegseth&#8217;s nomination. He decided, after what happened in his first term, to trust his own instincts and stand by his selection. The result has been predictable. Just a few months into Donald Trump&#8217;s term, Hegseth&#8217;s enemies have begun yet another smear campaign. And like the campaign to oust Michael Flynn, it&#8217;s not meant to withstand any kind of scrutiny. The point is to move quickly, create panic, and ultimately pressure the White House to fire Hegseth.
It&#8217;s not exactly a subtle operation. Yesterday morning, NPR came out with this story, which directly states the outcome they want to achieve: 
<blockquote>Exclusive: The White House is looking to replace Pete Hegseth as defense secretary.</blockquote>
According to NPR:
<blockquote>The White House has begun the process of looking for a new leader at the Pentagon to replace Pete Hegseth, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly. This comes as Hegseth is again mired in controversy over sharing military operational details in a group chat.</blockquote>
So here we have an unnamed source — just one person, who&#8217;s described only as a &#8220;U.S. official&#8221; — stating that the White House is planning to fire Pete Hegseth. And based on this one nameless official, who supposedly serves somewhere in the United States government, the narrative has been set. Pretty much every outlet picked up this story: They&#8217;re all trying to convey the perception that Hegseth&#8217;s removal is a foregone conclusion.
Meanwhile, there&#8217;s a steady drip of new information that&#8217;s supposedly even more damning than the last hit piece. Tune into CNN, and they&#8217;ll tell you that Hegseth needs to be removed because of a new Signal chat that&#8217;s suddenly been uncovered. Watch:
<iframe loading="lazy" title="004 Ex Hegseth aide" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NWXmVI-Ge94?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>
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Before we go into the specifics, I need to make it clear that I was a fan of the Hegseth pick when it was initially announced. But after seeing this unrelenting smear campaign that started before he was confirmed and hasn&#8217;t let up since, I am now an even bigger fan of the pick. It&#8217;s clear that the establishment sees this guy as a threat to their agenda. He&#8217;s in a position to do extraordinary damage to their interests. And it seems like he&#8217;s already doing a lot of damage — which is why he needs to stay in his position at all costs.
And as you saw, Donald Trump doesn&#8217;t need to be told that. He understands exactly what CNN and the rest of the corporate press are doing. The coverage is breathless and fast-moving because you&#8217;re not supposed to scrutinize it. If you think about it for five seconds, you&#8217;ll realize that — as was the case with Michael Flynn — the hysteria makes absolutely no sense.
To recap: The case against Pete Hegseth is that the national security adviser, Mike Waltz, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-national-security-story?author=Ben+Shapiro&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=The+National+Security+Story" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mistakenly added</a> Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor of The Atlantic, to a classified group chat about a U.S. military strike. Even if this is true — even if we pretend for a moment that a rabidly anti-Trump journalist, with extensive ties to the deep state was somehow &#8220;accidentally&#8221; added to a highly sensitive group chat — it&#8217;s still not remotely clear why Pete Hegseth should be fired as a result. He&#8217;s not the one who made the mistake.
The next alleged scandal, as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/22/us/politics/hegseth-signal-chat.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> by The New York Times, concerns a Signal chat that involved Hegseth and a dozen other people, including his lawyer, his wife Jennifer and his brother Phil, who works at the Pentagon. The chat, which was called &#8220;Defense Team Huddle,&#8221; also reportedly included Dan Caldwell and Darin Selnick, two former Hegseth advisers who were just fired after a leak investigation. Supposedly, during this chat, Hegseth again discussed war plans involving Yemen, although no one&#8217;s sure exactly what was communicated.
Now, under the circumstances, it would be reasonable to wonder if Dan Caldwell or Darin Selnick might have had a role in placing this story in the New York Times. After all, they were just fired from the Pentagon for leaking. They were both members of this group chat. And now they&#8217;re publicly attacking Pete Hegseth&#8217;s Defense Department, and implying that the Pentagon wants to pursue a reckless war with Iran.
As it relates to unelected operatives in the Pentagon, that may be true. I&#8217;m not in a position to dispute that claim. But anyone who&#8217;s paying attention to what Pete Hegseth is doing, both in public and in private, knows that he&#8217;s going to do everything he can to prevent that outcome.
Here&#8217;s what <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QTwlqbkbos" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hegseth told</a> Fox News earlier this month:
<blockquote>[Trump] is dead serious that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. &#8230; He&#8217;s said that for 20 years, he&#8217;s been consistent, that is clear. He&#8217;s dead serious that he wants it done at the negotiating table, he wants it done peacefully, and that&#8217;s why he&#8217;s going straight to these talks, he&#8217;s set that deadline. &#8230; But he&#8217;s also dead serious that if we can&#8217;t figure this out at the negotiating table then there are other options, to include my department to ensure that Iran never has a nuclear bomb.</blockquote>
In other words, his primary objective is not to attack Iran. It&#8217;s a peaceful, diplomatic resolution.
A couple of days later, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/16/us/politics/trump-israel-iran-nuclear.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed</a> that, in private, Hegseth had personally helped avert a military strike on Iran that could&#8217;ve spiraled into World War III:
<blockquote>Israel had planned to strike Iranian nuclear sites as soon as next month but was waved off by President Trump in recent weeks in favor of negotiating a deal with Tehran to limit its nuclear program, according to administration officials and others briefed on the discussions. &#8230; Inside the Trump administration, some officials were becoming skeptical of the Israeli plan. In a meeting this month — one of several discussions about the Israeli plan — Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, presented a new intelligence assessment that said the buildup of American weaponry could potentially spark a wider conflict with Iran that the United States did not want. A range of officials echoed Ms. Gabbard’s concerns in the various meetings. Susie Wiles, the White House chief of staff; Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth; and Vice President JD Vance all voiced doubts about the attack</blockquote>
That report was published on April 16. It states, very clearly, that Hegseth had helped stop a military attack on Iran, which could&#8217;ve easily devolved into all-out warfare.
Four days later, on April 20, the Times published <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/20/us/politics/hegseth-yemen-attack-second-signal-chat.html">a story</a> outlining Hegseth&#8217;s second Signal chat, which is supposedly grounds for his termination. In other words, we get a new scandal, right after Hegseth enrages the defense contractors that would&#8217;ve made many millions of dollars, if not more, from an all-out conflict with Iran. And then, hot on the heels of the new scandal, we get an unverified, barely-sourced report about how the White House is looking to replace Hegseth.
At this point, I can only assume that&#8217;s another fake smear. It would be a disastrous mistake for Trump to cave to the pressure and offer up his Defense Secretary as a sacrifice. It&#8217;s the kind of mistake that could derail his entire presidency. And it would be a major victory for establishment Washington, which is becoming increasingly desperate by the day.
You can see the signs everywhere. Here&#8217;s one of them: On Monday, four more Democrat lawmakers made a <a href="https://thepostmillennial.com/four-dems-denied-meeting-with-kilmar-abrego-garcia-after-flying-to-el-salvador#google_vignette" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pilgrimage</a> to El Salvador to visit that MS-13 gangbanger, following the visit by Senator Chris Van Hollen that we discussed last week. The lawmakers were Robert Garcia of California, Maxwell Frost of Florida, Yassamin Ansari of Arizona, and Maxine Dexter of Oregon. These politicians, like the rest of the Washington establishment, are pulling out all the stops to defend their open borders, globalist agenda. Making a martyr out of Abrego Garcia, and a scapegoat out of Hegseth, is all part of that plan.
To be clear, I see no indication that this is going to work. It doesn&#8217;t look like this MS-13 gangbanger is going to be returned to the United States, any more than it looks like Pete Hegseth is about to be replaced by another Raytheon board member. The idea that the White House is planning to cave to the demands of establishment Washington, at the moment, seems like yet another fabrication from the corporate press. For the sake of the world, which wouldn&#8217;t exactly benefit from nuclear armageddon, it should remain a fabrication and nothing more.

Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth Meets With El Salvador Minister Of National Defense Rene Merino Monroy At The Pentagon

The Coordinated Hit Job On Pete Hegseth Must Be Exposed And Defeated

Democrats

Kilmar Abrego Garcia

Leftists

Matt Walsh

Michael Flynn

New York Times

Opinion

Pete Hegseth

President Trump

The Swamp

Washington D.C.

While Democrats attempt to run up the score with another story about another Signal chat, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth took to the airwaves on Tuesday morning to make it clear that he has no intention of backing down.
Hegseth spoke with &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends&#8221; anchor Brian Kilmeade about the recent story, in which The New York Times alleges that Hegseth may have disclosed sensitive information in a second <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/defense-department-and-white-house-fire-back-after-latest-hegseth-hit-piece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Signal chat group</a> — that included his wife, his brother, and his attorney — that he accessed using his personal phone rather than his government phone. National Public Radio (NPR) followed the NYT story with a headline suggesting that President Donald Trump&#8217;s White House was already searching for someone who could replace Hegseth — a claim that both Hegseth and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt have denied.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
MUST WATCH: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth IS ON FIRE 🔥
&quot;I’m here because President Trump asked me to bring war-fighting back to the Pentagon every single day. 
If people don’t like it, come after me, no worries. I’m standing here, the WARFIGHTERS are behind us, our enemies… <a href="https://t.co/AN5WaSwExc">pic.twitter.com/AN5WaSwExc</a>
&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1914669279347146800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;They&#8217;ve come after me from day one,&#8221; Hegseth told Kilmeade on Tuesday morning&#8217;s broadcast, noting that the attacks he&#8217;d endured so far were nothing compared to what had been thrown at President Trump. &#8220;I&#8217;ve gotten a fraction of what President Trump got in that first term. What he&#8217;s endured is super human.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s not hard for me to do this job, I know exactly why I&#8217;m here,&#8221; Hegseth continued. &#8220;To bring war-fighting and the war-fighting ethos back to the Pentagon. To rip out the insidious ideologies and not compromise and not back down. To bring in new press voices into the Pentagon, which we&#8217;ve done. To reestablish standards and accountability. To not tolerate leakers.&#8221;
Hegseth went on with his list, saying that regaining control of the southern border was part of his job, as was getting rid of &#8220;trans lunacy in the military.&#8221;
&#8220;We haven&#8217;t backed down,&#8221; he added, saying that in the past, people came to Washington to &#8220;play the game&#8221; and often got caught up in the lifestyle and the cocktail parties and the status quo, but it was not his intention to have any part of that.
&#8220;I’m here because President Trump asked me to bring war-fighting back to the Pentagon every single day. If people don’t like it, they can come after me, no worries. I’m standing here, the warfighters are behind us, our enemies know they&#8217;re on notice, our allies know we are behind them, and that in this dangerous world, for the American people, is what it is all about,&#8221; he said.

President Trump Holds “Make America Wealthy Again Event” In White House Rose Garden

‘They Can Come After Me’: Defiant Pete Hegseth Says He’s Not Backing Down

'They Can Come After Me': Defiant Pete Hegseth Says He's Not Backing Down

Donald Trump

Fox News

Military

Politics

Signal

The Defense Department and the White House, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth himself, fired back over an anonymously-sourced New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/20/us/politics/hegseth-yemen-attack-second-signal-chat.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">piece</a> claiming that Hegseth had shared &#8220;highly sensitive military information&#8221; in a second Signal chat group that allegedly included his wife, his brother, and his attorney.
The story comes on the heels of a previous incident in which The Atlantic&#8217;s editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was mistakenly added to a different Signal chat group — and an attack on Houthi terrorists was described in some detail before Goldberg went public with both his presence in the group and the contents of the conversation. National Security Adviser Mike Waltz ultimately took responsibility for Goldberg&#8217;s accidental inclusion, which may have been linked to his iPhone&#8217;s algorithm that populates &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/so-damn-dangerous-signal-chat-breach-linked-to-automated-suggestion-feature-on-iphone" target="_blank" rel="noopener">automated contact suggestions</a>.&#8221;
The second chat group, according to the NYT, was nicknamed &#8220;Defense | Team Huddle&#8221; and was accessed via Hegseth&#8217;s personal phone rather than his government phone. Citing several anonymous sources, the NYT stated that the private Signal chat had included at least two of three DOD officials who were recently relieved of duty amid an investigation into &#8220;unauthorized disclosures&#8221; to media. The article offered no evidence suggesting that Hegseth had ever discussed anything of a sensitive nature in that group.
On Sunday, Defense Department spokesman Sean Parnell released a statement responding to the story:
<blockquote>Another day, another old story—back from the dead. The Trump-hating media continues to be obsessed with destroying anyone committed to President Trump’s agenda. This time, the New York Times — and all other Fake News that repeat their garbage — are enthusiastically taking the grievances of disgruntled former employees as the sole sources for their article. They relied only on the words of people who were fired this week and appear to have a motive to sabotage the Secretary and the President&#8217;s agenda. There was no classified information in any Signal chat, no matter how many ways they try to write the story. What is true is that the Office of the Secretary of Defense is continuing to become stronger and more efficient in executing President Trump&#8217;s agenda. We’ve already achieved so much for the American warfighter, and will never back down.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 4/20/25
STATEMENT:
Another day, another old story—back from the dead. The Trump-hating media continues to be obsessed with destroying anyone committed to President Trump’s agenda. This time, the New York Times — and all other Fake News that repeat their…
&mdash; Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellATSD) <a href="https://twitter.com/SeanParnellATSD/status/1914135704101175583?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Hegseth, who was present at Monday&#8217;s Easter Egg Roll at the White House, responded directly to the story as well:
<blockquote>What a big surprise that a bunch of leakers get fired and suddenly a bunch of hit pieces come out from the same media that peddled the Russia hoax.
This is what the media does. They take anonymous sources from disgruntled former employees, and then they try to slash and burn people and ruin their reputations. Not going to work with me.
We&#8217;re changing the Defense Department, putting the Pentagon back in the hands of warfighters — and anonymous smears from disgruntled former employees on old news doesn&#8217;t matter.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Pete Hegseth shuts down the fake news media:
&quot;What a big surprise that a bunch of leakers get fired and suddenly a bunch of hit pieces come out from the same media that peddled the Russia hoax.&quot;
&quot;This is what the media does. They take anonymous sources from disgruntled former… <a href="https://t.co/H4AmR88BJR">pic.twitter.com/H4AmR88BJR</a>
&mdash; Townhall.com (@townhallcom) <a href="https://twitter.com/townhallcom/status/1914322833506697713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also defended Hegseth during a Monday morning appearance on &#8220;Fox &amp; Friends,&#8221; telling anchor Brian Kilmeade that the president was standing behind Hegseth, &#8220;who is doing a phenomenal job leading the Pentagon.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a>: &quot;The President stands strongly behind <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PeteHegseth</a>, who is doing a phenomenal job leading the Pentagon.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/8exZQSJr5a">pic.twitter.com/8exZQSJr5a</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1914299932854407660?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
National Public Radio (NPR) followed up the NYT report with an anonymously-sourced story claiming that the White House was already looking for a replacement for Hegseth — a claim that Leavitt immediately disputed.
&#8220;This @NPR story is total FAKE NEWS based on one anonymous source who clearly has no idea what they are talking about. As the President said this morning, he stands strongly behind @SecDef.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
This ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/NPR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NPR</a>⁩ story is total FAKE NEWS based on one anonymous source who clearly has no idea what they are talking about. 
As the President said this morning, he stands strongly behind ⁦<a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a>⁩. <a href="https://t.co/5Npig8968v">https://t.co/5Npig8968v</a>
&mdash; Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1914371752685076757?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&nbsp;

US-POLITICS-TRUMP

Defense Department And White House Fire Back After Latest Hegseth Hit Piece

Department of Defense

Karoline Leavitt

Media

Pentagon

White House

At a time when the Pentagon is finally waking up to the physical collapse of our armed forces, Texas has a unique opportunity to lead.
In March, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sounded the alarm with <a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/4118161/rapid-force-wide-review-of-military-standards/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a directive</a>: Military standards have dangerously eroded. “Our adversaries are not growing weaker,” he wrote. “Our tasks are not growing less challenging.”
He ordered a department-wide review of physical fitness, grooming, and readiness standards and <a href="https://x.com/SecDef/status/1907509325804798454" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently stated</a>, “For too long, we’ve allowed standards to slip within the ranks for men and women serving in combat MOSs. This is unacceptable and over.”
He also welcomed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to the Pentagon, pledging to ensure our warfighters are “healthy and fit to fight.” These moves reflect a growing recognition of the military’s readiness crisis — and that rebuilding a warrior culture requires action, not speeches.
Texas is answering that call.
The Texas Military Forces Health and Readiness Act (House Bill 4993) is a no-compromise legislative initiative to restore physical readiness, health, and resilience in the Texas Military Forces. It aligns with the Department of Defense’s renewed focus on standards and provides a battle-ready model that other states — and even the federal government — can adopt.
<h3>The Current Readiness Crisis And Systemic Failures</h3>
<div id="attachment_908487" style="width: 876px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-908487" class="size-large wp-image-908487" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2133324574-866x576.jpg" alt="EL PASO, TEXAS - APRIL 02: Texas National Guard soldiers transport border fencing layered with concertina wire near the Rio Grande river on April 02, 2024 in El Paso, Texas. Last week, hundreds of migrants seeking asylum clashed with Texas national guardsmen while waiting to turn themselves in to border patrol agents for processing. Texas continues awaiting a verdict on Senate Bill 4. Attorneys representing the state of Texas are scheduled to return to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on April 3 to continue arguing for the constitutional basis of the bill. Senate Bill 4 allows state law enforcement officials to detain and arrest undocumented immigrants suspected of illegally crossing into the United States. Thus far, all prior attempts to put the Bill into effect have been blocked by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)" width="866" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2133324574-866x576.jpg 866w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2133324574-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2133324574-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2133324574.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 866px) 100vw, 866px" />Brandon Bell/Getty Images</div>
The National Guard plays an increasingly vital dual role: it must respond to domestic crises and be ready to “fight tonight” in peer-level combat operations. Hegseth has emphasized the need to “match threats to capabilities.” But for states like Texas — where the Guard is expected to conduct disaster operations, support border security, and remain deployable worldwide — this mission cannot be met under current conditions.
This isn’t just about pushups. America’s military readiness crisis is real, and it’s gutting our combat capability across the force. Military readiness isn’t a slogan — it’s the bedrock of deterrence and victory. Yet today, 68% of U.S. service members are overweight or obese, according to a 2023 report by the American Security Project. Fitness-related health costs and lost duty time exceed $1.35 billion annually, directly sabotaging operational effectiveness. That’s bad enough for active-duty forces — but for the National Guard, the situation is catastrophic.
If active-duty service members with full access to resources are struggling, the situation for part-time National Guard forces is even more dire. In Texas, part-time Guardsmen train a fraction of the time compared to Active Duty. They are spread across vast distances, often without access to adequate training facilities, wellness programs, or basic fitness infrastructure. Unlike the Active Duty, the Guard operates with persistent disparities in funding, support services, and oversight. Wellness programs go underutilized, accountability is virtually nonexistent, and time for physical training is painfully limited. The result? A force on the edge of collapse — unfit, underprepared, and unable to meet the demands of today’s missions. This isn’t just a training problem. It’s a strategic liability.
<h3>The Army’s Food Scandal: A Symptom Of The Larger Collapse</h3>
Adding insult to injury is the military’s broken nutrition system. A January 2025 Military.com <a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/investigations-and-features/2025/02/14/over-151-million-taken-soldiers-paychecks-food-costs-spent-elsewhere-army.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">investigation</a> found that the Army diverted over $151 million in food allowance payments from junior enlisted soldiers, with only 30% of those funds actually going toward meals. At Fort Cavazos in Texas, only $11.7 million of $42.5 million collected went to feed troops. Other bases relied on vending machines stocked with sugary snacks, or served meals of toast and lima beans — or no meals at all.
This isn’t just a logistical failure. It’s a betrayal of the trust and conditions necessary for building a capable, professional fighting force. For the National Guard, already starved of resources and time, this neglect is lethal. This is not a military prepared to win wars — it’s a hollow shell.
<div id="attachment_908491" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-908491" class="size-large wp-image-908491" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-1928669611-864x576.jpg" alt="EAGLE PASS, TEXAS - JANUARY 12: National Guard soldiers stand guard on the banks of the Rio Grande river at Shelby Park on January 12, 2024 in Eagle Pass, Texas. The Texas National Guard continues its blockade and surveillance of Shelby Park in an effort to deter illegal immigration. The Department of Justice has accused the Texas National Guard of blocking Border Patrol agents from carrying out their duties along the river. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-1928669611-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-1928669611-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-1928669611-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-1928669611.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Brandon Bell/Getty Images</div>
<h3>HB 4993: A Texas-Size Fix</h3>
HB <a href="https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/html/HB04993I.htm">4993</a> is a Texas-sized solution to this national crisis. It creates a comprehensive, accountable system to rebuild readiness:
<ul>
<li>Statewide Fitness Access: State-funded gym memberships and access to certified civilian trainers ensure Guardsmen across Texas can train consistently, regardless of location.</li>
<li>Integrated Digital Platform: Service members get real-time fitness tracking, customized plans, injury prevention, and mental health tools in a secure app.</li>
<li>Comprehensive Wellness Services: The bill funds rehabilitation, nutrition counseling, mental health support, and family-based fitness programs, because force readiness starts at home.</li>
<li>Performance-Based Culture: Structured incentives, advancement pathways, and public recognition will restore the warrior ethos and reward excellence.</li>
<li>Transparency and Accountability: Quarterly reports to the Legislature, corrective action plans, and unit-level oversight. If readiness falters, the system adapts — now, not later.</li>
<li>Minimal Cost, Maximum Return: This initiative delivers a high-impact return at a fraction of the $1.35 billion national fitness-related losses. This is a high-impact, low-cost readiness reform that delivers immediate and lasting results — saving lives, taxpayer dollars, and national security. </li>
</ul>
<h3>Reinforcing National Readiness Priorities</h3>
For too long, the physical and mental health of our service members has been allowed to rot — not because of funding shortages, but because of cowardice, complacency, and a lack of standards. HB 4993 rejects that failure. It embodies the resolve to act decisively and reforge a professional force worthy of the missions it’s expected to carry out.
This is the moment for Texas to lead. HB 4993 supports the national call to “Make America Healthy Again” and hands other states a clear, scalable playbook. The health, fitness, and discipline of our military are not internal HR concerns — they are national security imperatives.
Readiness isn’t negotiable. It’s the prerequisite for effective deterrence, mission success, and survival in a world of growing threats. Texas is doing its part. Now the Texas Legislature must rise to the occasion — and show the nation what readiness, resolve, and responsibility really look like.
* * *
Ammon Blair is a Senior Fellow for the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s ‘Secure &amp; Sovereign Texas’ Initiative.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Texas National Guard Works To Secure Southern Border In El Paso

Rebuilding The Warrior Class: Texas Can Lead With Military Fitness Reform

Marines

National Guard

Obesity

Soldiers

Texas

U.S. Air Force

U.S. Army

U.S. Military

U.S. Navy

A second Defense Department official — this time the Pentagon&#8217;s Deputy Chief of Staff — has been relieved of duty and placed on administrative leave amid a probe into &#8220;unauthorized disclosures&#8221; regarding key figures within the department.
Darin Selnick, DoD deputy chief of staff, was <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/15/caldwell-pentagon-leaks-00291735" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly suspended</a> and escorted from the Pentagon just one day after Dan Caldwell, an aide to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, was also removed from the building under suspicion that he was involved in leaking information. Both Selnick and Caldwell have previously worked with Hegseth at a veterans group the defense secretary headed, Concerned Veterans for America.
An <a href="https://media.defense.gov/2025/Mar/21/2003674265/-1/-1/0/EFFORTS-TO-COMBAT-UNAUTHORIZED-DISCLOSURES-OSD002809-25-RES-FINAL.PDF">investigation</a> into the matter was announced last month, citing &#8220;recent unauthorized disclosures of national security information,&#8221; which, according to reports, included revealing details regarding billionaire Elon Musk&#8217;s visit to the Pentagon and the defense secretary&#8217;s recent trip to Panama.
DOD Chief of Staff Joe Kasper said when the probe was announced, &#8220;The use of polygraphs in the execution of this investigation will be in accordance with applicable law and policy. This investigation will commence immediately and culminate in a report to the Secretary of Defense.&#8221;
The Defense Department is not alone in its struggle to uncover those who would leak unauthorized information.
Homeland Security Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hegseth-adviser-placed-on-leave-amid-defense-department-leak-probe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kristi Noem</a> announced a similar probe in March, with DHS assistant secretary for public affairs Tricia McLaughlin telling <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/noems-homeland-security-unapologetic-about-using-lie-detector-test-suspected-intel-leakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News Digital</a> that the Department of Homeland Security would also utilize polygraph testing in its effort to root out any potential leakers.
&#8220;Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, DHS is unapologetic about its efforts to root out leakers that undermine national security. We are agnostic about your standing, tenure, political appointment or status as a career civil servant – we will track down leakers and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law,&#8221; McLaughlin said at the time.
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard also vowed to hold leakers accountable, saying, &#8220;Politically motivated leaks undermine our national security and the trust of the American people and will not be tolerated. Unfortunately, such leaks have become commonplace with no investigation or accountability. That ends now.&#8221;

250130-D-PM193-1594_(54295724002) copy

Second Hegseth Advisor Booted From Pentagon Amid Leak Probe

Dan Caldwell, adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has been placed on leave pending an ongoing investigation into leaks in the Defense Department, The Daily Wire has confirmed.
An official within the Defense Department confirmed the report to Daily Wire White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan on Tuesday.
&#8220;NEW: Defense Department official confirms to @realDailyWire that Dan Caldwell, a top advisor to Secretary Pete Hegseth, has been placed on leave related to an investigation into DOD leaks,&#8221; Olohan shared via X.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
NEW: Defense Department official confirms to <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDailyWire</a> that Dan Caldwell, a top advisor to Secretary Pete Hegseth, has been placed on leave related to an investigation into DOD leaks.
&mdash; Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1912233949281071239?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/top-hegseth-advisor-dan-caldwell-put-leave-pentagon-leak-probe-2025-04-15/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters</a> reported earlier in the day that Caldwell had been escorted out of the Pentagon over what an anonymous source had described as &#8220;an unauthorized disclosure.&#8221;
Hegseth has not yet commented publicly on the situation, and no reports have surfaced yet regarding what the &#8220;unauthorized disclosure&#8221; may have been.
Officials across President Donald Trump&#8217;s first presidential administration were plagued with leaks, prompting several of those with key positions in the current administration to strike proactive poses regarding those who might leak information to media outlets.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has employed polygraph testing in her efforts to root out suspected leakers within the DHS. Tricia McLaughlin, DHS&#8217; assistant secretary for public affairs, issued a statement to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/noems-homeland-security-unapologetic-about-using-lie-detector-test-suspected-intel-leakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News Digital</a> on that initiative, saying, &#8220;Under Secretary Noem’s leadership, DHS is unapologetic about its efforts to root out leakers that undermine national security. We are agnostic about your standing, tenure, political appointment or status as a career civil servant – we will track down leakers and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.&#8221;
Director of National Intelligence <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gabbard-aggressively-pursuing-intel-community-leaks-to-legacy-media" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tulsi Gabbard</a> has also taken a hardline stance on potential leakers in the intelligence community, saying in a statement, &#8220;Politically motivated leaks undermine our national security and the trust of the American people and will not be tolerated. Unfortunately, such leaks have become commonplace with no investigation or accountability. That ends now. We know of and are aggressively pursuing recent leakers from within the Intelligence Community and will hold them accountable.&#8221;

Hegseth Adviser Placed On Leave Amid Defense Department Leak Probe

Executive

Trump Administration

U.S.

President Donald Trump is “dead serious” about Iran from getting a nuclear weapon and is willing to use military force if necessary, according to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Hegseth appeared on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures” to discuss nuclear talks between the United States and Iran that kicked off on Saturday. Hegseth said that while the administration is committed to finding a peaceful solution to Iran’s nuclear program, the president would not rule out using military force.
“President Trump is dead serious on this issue. He&#8217;s dead serious that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. He&#8217;s said that for 20 years. He&#8217;s been consistent. That is clear,” said Hegseth. “He&#8217;s dead serious that he wants it done at the negotiating table. He wants it done peacefully, and that&#8217;s why he&#8217;s going straight to these talks.”
The talks began on Saturday with delegations from the United States and Iran meeting in Oman. The teams were led respectively by U.S. Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
“These were productive talks yesterday. I don&#8217;t want to get ahead of our skis — Steve Witkoff does a fantastic job — but it was a good step, and they&#8217;re going to go at it again on Saturday,” Hegseth said.
“But [Trump] is also dead serious that if we can&#8217;t figure this out at the negotiating table, then there are other options — to include my department — to ensure that Iran never has a nuclear bomb.”
“We hope we never get there … but what we&#8217;re doing with the Houthis and what we&#8217;re doing in the region, we&#8217;ve shown a capability to go far, to go deep, and to go big,” he continued. “And, again, we don&#8217;t want to do that, but if we have to, we will to prevent the nuclear bomb in Iran&#8217;s hands.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a>: &quot;[<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> is] dead serious that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon &#8230; He&#39;s also dead serious that if we can&#39;t figure this out at the negotiating table, then there are other options.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/oVwUw16AcC">pic.twitter.com/oVwUw16AcC</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1911424740796825761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Iranian state-owned media <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/iran-says-nuclear-talks-with-trump-team-were-constructive-agrees-to-meet-again" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on Saturday that the two sides met in Oman “in a constructive atmosphere based on mutual respect.” The White House said in a statement that the delegations would meet again in a week.
“Special Envoy Witkoff underscored to Dr. Araghchi that he had instructions from President Trump to resolve our two nations’ differences through dialogue and diplomacy, if that is possible,” the White House said in a statement. “These issues are very complicated, and Special Envoy Witkoff’s direct communication today was a step forward in achieving a mutually beneficial outcome. The sides agreed to meet again next Saturday.”
The talks come as Trump has leaned on Iran publicly to curb the violence of its terror proxies across the Middle East, including the Houthis in Yemen. The president warned that Iran would be “in great danger” if the talks failed.
Araghchi wrote an op-ed published in The Washington Post last week that said Iran wants to make a deal and that the regime has been in contact with the Trump administration for weeks. Araghchi also claimed that Iran had upheld the conditions under the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated under former President Barack Obama. Trump had been highly critical of the deal, calling it “one-sided.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency found in February that Iran had blown past the 3.67% enrichment level for uranium set in the nuclear deal. Iran’s uranium stockpile is enriched to around 60%. Weapons-grade uranium is 90%. Iran’s stockpile is also many times larger than the limits set in the deal: approximately 8,294 kilograms to the deal’s cap of 300 kilograms.

Peter Hegseth

Hegseth: Trump ‘Dead Serious’ About Stopping Iran From Getting A Nuclear Bomb

Iran

Steve Witkoff

United States

On Friday, the Senate confirmed Lt. Gen. Dan &#8220;Razin&#8221; Caine as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Congratulations to Dan “Razin” Caine on his confirmation in the Senate as the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Your leadership will be a welcomed/vital part of ensuring we return the Dept. of Defense back to the American warfighter. <a href="https://t.co/TFmTrc6MUa">pic.twitter.com/TFmTrc6MUa</a>
&mdash; Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef/status/1910660682137100309?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;
Caine, a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and a former Air Force pilot with 2,800 flight hours, served two tours in Iraq. By 2003, he served as the CIA’s Associate Director for Military Affairs (ADMA), the CIA Director’s principal advisor on military matters and the primary man-in-the-middle between the CIA and the Department of Defense. He commanded the air defense of Washington, D.C., after the 9/11 attacks.
“I remember telling the wingman that I was going to fly with that day, ‘Don’t shoot anybody. I’ll make the decision,’” Caine <a href="https://www.cia.gov/stories/story/senior-cia-officer-reflects-on-defending-washington-d-c-on-9-11/">said</a> in 2003. “If we got it wrong, or if we missed somebody and we did not shoot, the consequences of that could be catastrophic, not only for the people on the ground, but for the country as a whole.”
“There are certain days in our nation&#8217;s history that really are days of infamy,” he said. “And December 7th and September 11th are certainly days of infamy. And when I talk to young officers here at the Agency or I talk to young military officers and walk through that day, I ask them to never forget that there&#8217;s a reason for all of the things that we&#8217;ve been through as a country for the last 20 years. And in those examples of courage, maybe they can find some courage to make difficult decisions or take the hard road and not the easy road and find purpose and passion for why they serve.”
Caine “led counterterrorism strategy for the Homeland Security Council. He also developed the U.S. military’s plan to counter Iraq’s Scud ballistic missiles during the 2003 invasion; Saddam Hussein’s forces did not manage to fire a single Scud during the war,” USA Today <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/21/donald-trump-says-hes-replacing-joint-chiefs-chair-cq-brown/78332531007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a>.
In 2019, President Donald Trump <a href="https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-2019-conservative-political-action-conference/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recalled</a> the first time he met Caine:
<blockquote>
I said, “What’s your name? “Sir, my name is Raisin.” What the hell kind of a name? I said, “Raisin, like the fruit?” He goes, “Yes, sir, Raisin.” “What’s your last name?” “Caine. Raisin Caine.” I said, “You got to be kidding me.” It’s true. Raisin Caine.&#8221;
</blockquote>
He continued, saying he asked Caine how quickly ISIS could be defeated. “Sir, we can have it totally finished in one week,” Caine answered. “One week? I was told two years,” Trump said. “One week?”
“That’s right, sir. We’re only hitting them from a temporary base in Syria. But if you gave us permission, we could hit them from the back, from the side, from all over — from the base that you’re right on, right now, sir. They won’t know what the hell hit them. They won’t know what the hell hit them, sir,” Caine answered.
“Why didn’t my other generals tell me that? Why didn’t they tell me that?” Trump asked, adding, “Did you tell them that?”
“Not our place to say it, sir,” Caine replied. “They come in from Washington, sir. We have to take orders. You’re the first one to ask us our opinion.”

Retired Lt. Gen. Dan Caine confirmation hearing in Washington DC

‘Razin’ Caine Confirmed As Chairman Of Joint Chiefs Of Staff

Dan Caine

Joint Chiefs of Staff

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth debuted his comedy chops with a spot-on impression of President Donald Trump, getting laughs from several sailors aboard the USS Chosin, a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser stationed in Panama.
Hegseth stopped aboard the Chosin during his recent trip to Panama — where he secured an agreement with Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino regarding use of the Panama Canal — to speak to sailors there, and he delivered the impromptu impression while talking about what Trump told him when he first accepted the position of Defense Secretary.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PeteHegseth</a> does a spot on impression of President Trump! 😆😆😆 <a href="https://t.co/zIpNycUndH">pic.twitter.com/zIpNycUndH</a>
&mdash; Kristina Wong 🇺🇸 (@kristina_wong) <a href="https://twitter.com/kristina_wong/status/1909992245702303782?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;The president gave me a very direct charge. He actually told me two things when he chose me for this job,&#8221; Hegseth began, clearing his throat before slipping into his Trump impersonation. &#8220;First was, &#8216;Pete, you better be tough as s***, okay?'&#8221;
Hegseth also shared video from his time aboard the Chosin, where he was gifted a hat and named an honorary &#8220;War Dragon.&#8221; He immediately donned the cap, prompting Chosin Commander Captain Robert &#8220;Mac&#8221; McFarlin to say, &#8220;There it is. Now, you&#8217;re part of the family.&#8221;
&#8220;Today, our team had the opportunity to tour the USS Chosin to see the amazing work our @USNavy warriors are doing in the @Southcom AOR,&#8221; he posted along with the video.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Today, our team had the opportunity to tour the USS Chosin to see the amazing work our <a href="https://twitter.com/USNavy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USNavy</a> warriors are doing in the <a href="https://twitter.com/Southcom?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Southcom</a> AOR. <a href="https://t.co/A69ljLQCwB">pic.twitter.com/A69ljLQCwB</a>
&mdash; Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef/status/1910069164846559742?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The Defense Secretary was also on hand to present the official news of acceptance to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, to Diego David Portillo Aizpurua of Panama&#8217;s National Aeronaval Service.
&#8220;We also had the honor of presenting Diego David Portillo Aizpurua with his acceptance to the @NavalAcademy,&#8221; Hegseth posted. &#8220;He is the third in all of the National Aeronaval Service of Panama to be accepted. Congratulations and best of luck in your journey of becoming a future Navy leader!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
We also had the honor of presenting Diego David Portillo Aizpurua with his acceptance to the <a href="https://twitter.com/NavalAcademy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NavalAcademy</a>. He is the third in all of the National Aeronaval Service of Panama to be accepted. Congratulations and best of luck in your journey of becoming a future Navy leader! <a href="https://t.co/YLm96lGmGW">pic.twitter.com/YLm96lGmGW</a>
&mdash; Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef/status/1910069174363468012?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Hegseth returned to U.S. soil on Wednesday with good news, announcing upon his return that he and Panamanian President Mulino had reached a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/first-and-free-defense-secretary-hegseth-secures-historic-partnership-with-panama-against-china" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mutually beneficial agreement</a> with regard to keeping the Panama Canal free of Chinese influence.

President Trump Meets With Visiting Israeli PM Netanyahu At The White House

Pete Hegseth Displays Comedic Chops With Dead-On Trump Impression

Panama

PANAMA CITY — Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is headed back to Washington as the triumphant bearer of good tidings for President Donald Trump: Panama and the United States will partner to protect the Panama Canal from maligned Chinese interests.
It was both a difficult and delicate task for Hegseth and the Defense officials who accompanied him to bilateral meetings at President José Raúl Mulino’s palace in Panama City. The Panama Canal is a point of national identify for many Panamanians, a senior defense official pointed out on Wednesday evening, and any sense or suspicion of infringement on their sovereignty is considered highly problematic.
The trip began on an energetic but cautiously optimistic note, as Defense Department officials flew down to Panama prepared to engage in serious dialogue but not entirely sure how the week would go. After all, President José Raúl Mulino had angrily attacked Trump when the U.S. president posted that he wanted to retake the Panama Canal and expressed concerns about China&#8217;s influence on the region.
Yet by the time Hegseth departed the country, the Secretary of Defense had signed both a memorandum of understanding on cooperative security activities and a joint declaration on the security and operation of the Panama Canal — a framework for US warships and auxiliary ships to sail “first and free” through the busiest waterway in the world.
<div id="attachment_905733" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/first-and-free-defense-secretary-hegseth-secures-historic-partnership-with-panama-against-china/panama-us-mulino-abrego-hegseth" rel="attachment wp-att-905733"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-905733" class="wp-image-905733 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2208740194-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2208740194-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2208740194-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2208740194-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2208740194.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" /></a>Panama&#8217;s President Jose Raul Mulino looks on as US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signs a bilateral agreement, in Panama City on April 9, 2025.  (Photo by Franco BRANA / AFP) (Photo by FRANCO BRANA/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
&#8220;These documents reaffirm our historic ties and outline how we will deepen our relationship and strengthen bilateral canal security cooperation,&#8221; Hegseth said on Wednesday. &#8220;It also builds on the great work started by our Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and his team.&#8221;
The expanded U.S. and Panama relationship will also focus on cyber cooperation, information sharing, bilateral security dialogs, and canal infrastructure, Hegseth said at a press conference in Panama City on Wednesday.  The memorandum of understanding will also increase joint training exercises, operations, and &#8220;overall interoperability&#8221; between Panama and the U.S., including joint presence at Fort Sherman, where the Jungle School will be revived, and Rodman Naval Station and Howard Air Force Base.
The focus: helping Panama “deter and counter malign activity in the areas surrounding the canal.”
In recent months, China had denied inappropriate interference and accused the U.S. of trying to coerce Panama into blocking Chinese initiatives in the area. But Trump administration officials, and the president himself, are acutely aware of and focused on combatting the reach of the Chinese Communist Party across the globe. It&#8217;s a core pillar of the Trump administration&#8217;s national defense strategy.
And given the vital importance of the Panama Canal to the United States, one of the very first calls that Hegseth made as Defense Secretary was to Panama’s president and minister of public security, in late February or January, a senior Defense official shared on Wednesday evening.
“The status quo is unacceptable,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Mulino when he visited Panama last month.
Defense Department officials spent Tuesday and Wednesday underscoring the need to protect not only the United States, but also Panama, from China. They pointed out that promises that China had made to Panama had not come to fruition, officials said. But the key dynamic that persuaded Panama towards this partnership, one defense official insisted, was the fact that Trump is now president of the United States — trust, confidence, and inspiration in politically elected leadership in the United States.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
NEW: I asked <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PeteHegseth</a> if he’s concerned about retaliation from China following his fruitful visit to Panama.
“No,” he responds. “I’m not worried about retaliation from China. We will stand on our own merits. Peace through strength matters. We represent our interests, put… <a href="https://t.co/GxFtDq34Zn">pic.twitter.com/GxFtDq34Zn</a>
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1910065973085757646?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
On Wednesday evening, before he boarded the 89th Airlift Wing back to Washington, D.C., Hegseth called the visit “historic,” telling reporters that the trip “not only met but exceeded our expectations.”
Hegseth praised the president of Panama, expressing gratitude to the Panamanian leader for the role he played in the day’s events and calling him a “great friend of the United States.”
“Man, he’s a fierce defender of his country,” said the Defense Secretary, adding quickly, “ and rightfully so.”
Just as President Trump puts America first, Hegseth said, President Mulino fights for Panamanian interests.
“At the same time we are working with them to ensure we can take back the canal from maligned Chinese interests,” Hegseth noted. “The Panamanians don’t want that influence, neither do we. That’s important for their sovereignty. We’re excited to be partners with them.”
The Defense Secretary told The Daily Wire he&#8217;s not worried about retaliation from China at this time.
&#8220;We will stand on our own merits,&#8221; he added. &#8220;Peace through strength matters. We represent our interests, put America first, President Trump is staring them down on trade…”
Defense officials stressed that this week&#8217;s visit to Panama is the first of many visits to come. &#8220;This is not a situation where we just jump on the plane and fly away,&#8221; one official shared. &#8220;No, we are with this. We are about bolstering that alliance.&#8221;
For his part, Hegseth stressed that the renewed relationship between Panama and United States will foster what the U.S. desires: &#8220;a hemisphere that is secure, prosperous, and full of sovereign nations.&#8221;
&#8220;This is not about globalism or foreign adventurism,&#8221; he said on Wednesday. &#8220;This is a golden age of clear eyed Americanism and shared national interests. We want this to be a golden age for our countries together and for this hemisphere. We want, in short, not only to make America great again, but to make the Americas great again.&#8221;

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth in Panama

FIRST AND FREE: Defense Secretary Hegseth Secures ‘Historic’ Partnership With Panama Against China

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has &#8220;removed U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield from her position as U.S. representative to NATO’s military committee,&#8221; Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell announced on Tuesday.
Parnell announced the news in a statement on X, adding that Vice Admiral Chatfield had been removed by the Defense Secretary &#8220;due to a loss of confidence in her ability to lead,&#8221; but giving no specifics as to what that might mean. He further noted, &#8220;The Defense Department is grateful for her many years of military service.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Secretary Hegseth has removed U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Shoshana Chatfield from her position as U.S. representative to NATO’s military committee due to a loss of confidence in her ability to lead. The Defense Department is grateful for her many years of military service.
&mdash; Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellATSD) <a href="https://twitter.com/SeanParnellATSD/status/1909613375115370775?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Chatfield has held the position since 2023, after a delay in her promotion due to Sen. Tommy Tuberville&#8217;s lengthy blockade of military promotions over the Pentagon&#8217;s abortion policies — but comments she had made in previous years were what put her on the radar of conservative critics.
Speaking on Women&#8217;s Equality Day in 2015, for example, Chatfield had complained about the gender imbalance in the halls of power and said that &#8220;investing in gender equality and women&#8217;s empowerment can unlock human potential on a transformational scale.&#8221;
Chatfield, the only woman serving on the NATO Military Committee, is the third high-ranking female military officer to be relieved of duty since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January. Admiral Lisa Franchetti, the first woman to hold the top rank in the United States Navy, was also let go earlier this year; as was Admiral Linda Fagan, the U.S. Coast Guard&#8217;s first female leader.
No specific reason has been given for Chatfield&#8217;s termination, and thus far, the Defense Department has given no indication of who might serve as her replacement or when that replacement might be chosen.

SMS Cormoran II 100 Years Memorial Ceremony

Pete Hegseth Axes Navy Official Who Promoted ‘Gender Equality And Women’s Empowerment’

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Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will travel next week to Panama, where President Donald Trump has made headlines with his calls to take control of the famed Panama Canal, the Defense Department announced on Friday.
Hegseth will leave the United States early next week for a trip to Panama City, Panama to participate in the 2025 Central American Security Conference.
&#8220;The Secretary will meet with partner-nation senior civilian, military, and security leadership in a series of bilateral meetings that will drive ongoing efforts to strengthen our partnerships with Panama and other Central American nations toward our shared vision for a peaceful and secure Western Hemisphere,&#8221; chief spokesman Sean Parnell said.
After the Panama segment of the trip, the Defense Secretary will head to Eglin Air Force Base in the western Florida panhandle &#8220;to visit service members and command leadership at 7th Special Forces Group.&#8221;
The visit comes after President Donald Trump said in his joint address to Congress that he plans to reclaim the Panama Canal. &#8220;We didn’t give it to China; we gave it to Panama, and we’re taking it back,&#8221; the president said in early March.
This was not the first time the president had articulated interest in Panama Canal. In December, he expressed frustration about the fees Panama charges the U.S. to use the canal, saying in a Truth Social post: “The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the U.S. This complete ‘rip-off’ of our Country will immediately stop.”
Panama&#8217;s President José Raúl Mulino responded to Trump&#8217;s March remarks by accusing Trump of lying, writing in an &#8220;X&#8221; post: &#8220;Once again, President Trump is lying. The Panama Canal is not in the process of being restored, and this is certainly not the task that was even discussed in our conversations with Secretary Rubio or anyone else.&#8221;
&#8220;I reject, on behalf of Panama and all Panamanians, this new affront to the truth and to our dignity as a nation,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;Cooperation between our governments requires clear understandings on issues of mutual interest, as has been done. It has nothing to do with the &#8216;recovery of the Canal&#8217; or with tarnishing our national sovereignty. The Canal is Panamanian and will continue to be Panamanian!&#8221;
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Nuevamente miente el Presidente Trump. El Canal de Panamá no está en proceso de recuperación y mucho menos es la tarea que en nuestras conversaciones con el Secretario Rubio ni ningún otro se haya ni siquiera conversado. Rechazo a nombre de Panamá y de todos los panameños esta…
— José Raúl Mulino (@JoseRaulMulino) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoseRaulMulino/status/1897268186191450454?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2025</a></blockquote>

(Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Hegseth Heads To Panama Following Trump Vow To Take Back Panama Canal

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