Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said he believes the ceasefire between the United States and Iran will hold after being asked by The Daily Wire about reports of Iranian strikes overnight. 
“We were monitoring it last night in real time. Of course, we are. Iran would be wise to find a way to get the carrier pigeon to their troops out in remote locations, to know not to shoot, not to shoot any longer,” Hegseth said. “It takes time sometimes for ceasefires to take hold. We&#8217;re watching it. We&#8217;re prepared, if necessary, but we hope and believe that it&#8217;ll hold.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨<a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> tells <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MaryMargOlohan</a> that the Strait of Hormuz is OPEN and commerce will FLOW, despite Iran noting technical limitations.
Hegseth added that the administration &#8220;hopes and believes&#8221; the ceasefire will hold when asked about this morning&#8217;s Iranian strikes:
&#8220;Iran would… <a href="https://t.co/iwFShQ21sa">pic.twitter.com/iwFShQ21sa</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/2041860553719619612?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Hegseth made the remarks during a briefing at the Pentagon on Wednesday morning after being asked by Daily Wire White House correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan about reports that Kuwait, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates faced Iranian strikes after President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire. 
Hegseth also told reporters that American troops in the Middle East are &#8220;not going anywhere&#8221; and will remain in the region to ensure Iran abides by the ceasefire agreement &#8220;and ultimately comes to the table to make a deal&#8221; on a broader peace agreement. 
&#8220;Our troops are prepared to defend, prepared to go on offense, prepared to restart at a moment&#8217;s notice with whatever target package would be needed,&#8221; he said.
Olohan also asked Hegseth about what the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz would look like and what restrictions Iran might place on ships. 
“What we know is that Iran is going to say a lot of things. A lot of people are going to say a lot of things, claim a lot of things,” Hegseth said. “What has been agreed to, what&#8217;s been stated, is the strait is open. Our military is watching. I’m sure their military is watching, but commerce will flow. And that&#8217;s what you saw the market reacts to, is that reality.”
In a Truth Social <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/116367088879643074">post</a> early Wednesday, Trump suggested Iran was ready to reach a broader peace agreement and said the United States would help manage traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
“A big day for World Peace! Iran wants it to happen, they’ve had enough! Likewise, so has everyone else! The United States of America will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote. “There will be lots of positive action! Big money will be made. Iran can start the reconstruction process.”
Trump added that the United States would be “loading up with supplies of all kinds, and just ‘hangin’ around’ in order to make sure that everything goes well.” 
“I feel confident that it will,” he said.

US-ISRAEL-IRAN-WAR-HEGSETH

Daily Wire Asks Hegseth About Iran Ceasefire Slip-Ups As Shaky Truce Takes Hold

Iran

Operation Epic Fury

Pete Hegseth

Strait of Hormuz

President Donald Trump gave the Iranian regime a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-iranian-protests-intensify-as-citizens-demand-end-to-ayatollah-rule">deadline</a> of 8 p.m. on Tuesday to reach a deal with the United States and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and a number of Democrats have spent the hours leading up to that deadline warning American service members to be wary of — or disregard — any potentially &#8220;illegal&#8221; orders.
Responding to Trump&#8217;s deadline — and his warning that &#8220;a whole civilization will die tonight&#8221; — Democrats quickly lined up to claim that the president was either not in full possession of his mental faculties or about to issue illegal orders to the United States military, if not both.
&#8220;This is a threat of genocide and merits removal from office. The President’s mental faculties are collapsing and cannot be trusted,&#8221; Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez <a href="https://x.com/AOC/status/2041563794787193194">declared</a>. &#8220;To every individual in the President’s chain of command: You have a duty to refuse illegal orders. That includes carrying out this threat.&#8221;
Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA) addressed his <a href="https://x.com/tedlieu/status/2041277990903091695">warning</a> to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, saying, &#8220;The UCMJ and federal law prohibit war crimes. Striking civilian infrastructure that causes disproportionate civilian harm constitutes war crimes. You will disobey those illegal orders. If you commit war crimes, the next Administration will prosecute you.&#8221;
&#8220;These are not the words of a sane person,&#8221; Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) <a href="https://x.com/RepJasonCrow/status/2041516423906824681">added</a>. &#8220;Calling for the elimination of a civilization is a war crime. As I’ve repeatedly said, our military must only follow lawful orders. Every American of good conscience must repudiate this.&#8221;
Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) ignored the possibility that a bridge or power plant might be considered a military target if it was part of the necessary infrastructure sustaining and supplying the Iranian forces, and instead suggested that any attack on such infrastructure would necessarily be an attack on civilian populations.
&#8220;Threatening to target power plants and other non-military targets is not strength. If those words become orders to destroy civilian infrastructure with no valid military purpose, it’s hard to see how they would not violate the laws of armed conflict. America leads best with strength, discipline, and professionalism. Illegal orders to make civilians suffer would be a black mark on our military and our country,&#8221; <a href="https://x.com/SenMarkKelly/status/2041333810269151246">Kelly said</a>.
Democrats began warning American troops that &#8220;illegal&#8221; orders were a possibility — and were perhaps even to be expected — from President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration months earlier, when &#8220;<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hegseths-war-department-escalates-review-of-mark-kelly-over-seditious-six-video">The Seditious Six</a>&#8221; published a <a href="https://x.com/SenatorSlotkin/status/1990774492356902948">video</a> in response to a number of precision strikes on narco-terrorists. Led by Senators Kelly and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), the group called on members of the military to refuse &#8220;illegal&#8221; or &#8220;unlawful&#8221; orders while heavily insinuating that if Trump or War Secretary Pete Hegseth had not already given such orders, they were likely to do so.
Slotkin doubled down on Tuesday, <a href="https://x.com/SenatorSlotkin/status/2041559132755653104">posting</a>, &#8220;I know that our service members up and down the chain of command know their duty and the law to refuse illegal orders. Even as the Commander-in-Chief tells the world otherwise. It’s moments like these that are why we made the video to service members last year. And I hope and believe our troops — especially those in command — will have the moral clarity to push back if they are given clearly illegal orders.&#8221;

Celebrity Sightings In New York City – June 22, 2024

Trump’s Iran Clock Is Ticking As Democrats Try To Make Moves Behind His Back

Dems Prep For Trump's Iran Deadline By Warning Military Against 'Illegal Orders'

Donald Trump

Global Politics

Military

U.S.

In the days ahead, the direction of Operation Epic Fury will become unmistakable in the targets the United States and Israel choose to strike.
The U.S.-Israeli air campaign has already delivered historic results. Our losses to enemy fire have been dramatically lower than in past major operations — far below the roughly one aircraft per day suffered in the run-up to Desert Storm. Precision strikes combined with air superiority have severely damaged Iran’s missile forces, air defenses, and naval capabilities.
The extraordinary rescue of the downed F-15E pilot and weapons systems officer — the latter extracted on Easter Sunday after going missing on Good Friday — further showcased unmatched special operations skill and real-time intelligence fusion, with operators inserted near Isfahan and a small team sortieing to a 7,000-foot ridge to recover the injured colonel under enemy pressure.
These successes set the stage for the critical phase now unfolding.
President Donald Trump’s remarks on Monday included both talks of negotiations and a threat to hit dual-use infrastructure, but the clearest indicators will be the strikes themselves in the coming hours and days.
For America and its allies, the central goals remain eliminating Iran’s nuclear and missile threat, neutralizing its ability to close the Strait of Hormuz, and cutting off support for its terror proxies — Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. These elements have long formed the regime’s capacity to destabilize the region and threaten global energy security.
<div id="attachment_1059641" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1059641" class="size-large wp-image-1059641" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2242929815-864x576.jpg" alt="Strait of Hormuz (Photo by Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2025)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2242929815-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2242929815-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2242929815-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2242929815.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Strait of Hormuz (Photo by Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2025)</div>
Iran’s center of gravity is more existential: the survival of the revolutionary regime itself.
Animated by a messianic death cult ideology that seeks to hasten the end times and the return of the 12th Hidden Imam — the Mahdi — the regime views its stockpile of 60% enriched uranium as vital insurance for that apocalyptic mission.
But preserving custody of that material increasingly forces a confrontation with the regime’s very existence, even if full regime change has not been the publicly stated goal.
Watch the target sets carefully. 
If strikes concentrate on tactical assets around the Strait of Hormuz — anti-ship missiles, coastal batteries, fast-attack craft, and related naval infrastructure — the immediate priority will be reopening vital shipping lanes and safeguarding global oil flows. This approach would focus on restoring freedom of navigation while building on gains already achieved. But, as operations against the Houthis to safeguard the Red Sea showed, it’s not easy.
But targeting dual-use infrastructure, such as bridges, power plants, and logistics nodes, would indicate sustained pressure on the regime’s ability to move forces and maintain domestic control. Such targets squeeze the theocrats’ sustainment without committing to large-scale ground operations, potentially accelerating internal strains on a population long weary of repression.
The most telling sign, however, would be systematic attacks on Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Basij militia leadership, command nodes, and control networks. If the campaign pivots decisively in this direction, it will mark the abandonment of meaningful negotiation and a clear intent to drive this terror regime toward collapse. Air power that degrades the mullahs’ tools of internal repression — especially amid existing domestic discontent — could burst open the door for rapid regime collapse.
Only the last option — going after the regime — would likely lead to the United States recovering Iran’s enriched uranium.
Ultimately, the regime faces a binary choice: recognize the futility of defiance or cling to its apocalyptic ideology at ever greater cost. The Iranian people, long oppressed by a corrupt theocracy, could prove decisive once the regime’s instruments of control are sufficiently shattered.
Operation Epic Fury has already reshaped the battlefield in America’s favor. The strategic decisions made now — guided by a clear grasp of centers of gravity as Carl von Clausewitz described them, the hub of all power and movement — will determine whether this campaign delivers not just tactical success but lasting victory: a Middle East more secure, global commerce protected, and a dangerous regime consigned to history’s garbage pile.
What unfolds in the coming days will turn on those target choices and the intent behind them.
* * *
Chuck DeVore is the Chief National Initiatives Officer at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

TOPSHOT-US-ISRAEL-IRAN-WAR-POLITICS-TRUMP

Why What Comes Next In Iran Will Decide Everything

What Comes Next In Operation Epic Fury: By Sea And By Land, Watch The Targets Closely

Middle East

U.S. Military

U.S. Navy

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Monday that a downed U.S. airman’s first message after ejecting over Iran was a simple but powerful declaration: “God is good.”
Speaking during a press conference with President Donald Trump about the rescue mission, Hegseth framed the operation in spiritual terms, noting the airman was shot down on Good Friday, spent Saturday hiding in a mountain crevice, and was ultimately rescued as the sun rose on Easter Sunday.
“In that moment of isolation and danger, his faith and fighting spirit shone through,” Hegseth said. “A pilot reborn, all home and accounted for, a nation rejoicing. God is good.”
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Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the downed U.S. airman’s first message after activating his emergency transponder was simple: “God is good.” <a href="https://t.co/gqka8LalPo">pic.twitter.com/gqka8LalPo</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/2041209101091537003?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Hegseth added that no American lives were lost in the operation, as U.S. forces upheld the Airman’s Creed, which promises to never leave an airman behind.
“We leave no man behind,” Hegseth said. “And that is not luck.&#8221;
Both <a href="https://x.com/petehegseth/status/2040779298823659939?s=46&amp;t=o-U3qwC25WnWaylJ0oeG7Q">Hegseth</a> and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt <a href="https://x.com/PressSec/status/2040880310250770892">tweeted</a> “God is Good” on Easter Sunday, alluding to the message from the airman.
According to details outlined by President Trump, the F-15E fighter jet was struck in southwest Iran, causing the pilot and Weapons Systems Officer (WSO) to eject. The pilot was successfully recovered in a mission several hours later, while the WSO spent 48 hours evading capture by enemies.
Trump said that despite being injured and “bleeding rather profusely,&#8221; the airman treated his own wounds, scaled cliff faces, and contacted American forces to transmit his location.
To recover the airman, more than 155 aircraft were used, including four bombers, 64 fighter jets, 48 refueling tankers, and 13 rescue aircraft. According to Trump, many of the aircraft were used to fool the Iranians into checking incorrect locations while searching for the American servicemember.
“We wanted to have them think he was in a different location, because they had a vast military force out there—thousands, thousands of people were looking,” Trump said. “So we wanted them to look in different areas, so we were scattered all over like we were right on top of them.”
Trump added that Iranians were tricked by seven different locations and were “very confused.”
Meanwhile, American forces rushed to the correct evacuation zone.
“America&#8217;s military descended on the area—the real area—engaged the enemy, rescued the stranded officer, destroyed all threats, and exited Iranian territory while taking no casualties of any kind,” Trump said.
Two large aircraft used in the rescue became stuck in wet sand and were unable to take off, according to President Trump. A contingency plan was quickly put in place, bringing in additional planes to evacuate personnel.
“We had a contingency plan which was unbelievable—where lighter, faster aircraft came in and they took them out, we blew up the old planes—we blew &#8217;em up to smithereens,” Trump said.

Donald Trump & Pete Hegseth

Rescued Airman’s Words To God Now Echoing Across America

World

War Secretary Pete Hegseth shook things up at the Pentagon during Holy Week when he fired several top generals — including Major General William Green Jr. the U.S. Army chief of chaplains.
Green&#8217;s job as the Army chief of chaplains is to advise the Army Chief of Staff on issues of religion and morality, as well as to oversee the Army Chaplain Corps — and he was three years into what would normally be a four-year term when Hegseth removed him from the role.
Green served as an enlisted soldier prior to becoming an ordained minister, and has served as a chaplain in the Army since the 1990s. His promotion to Major General was recent, according to <a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/headlines/2026/04/02/army-chief-forced-out-iran-war-hits-new-phase.html">Military.com</a>, and he had become the Army chief of chaplains in 2023.
While no official reason has been given for Green&#8217;s termination — marking the first time that an Army chief of chaplains has been fired since the position was created under the National Defense Act of 1920 — Hegseth had previously voiced his displeasure with Green&#8217;s Army Spiritual Fitness Guide, published in 2025.
The <a href="https://www.militaryatheists.org/regs/ArmyFM7-22_subv202507-SF-Guide.pdf">112-page guide</a> — and accompanying Battle Book — featured &#8220;secular-inclusive&#8221; principles aimed at encouraging resilience and strength. It was written to be a part of the Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness program (H2F), for which development began in 2024 during former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin&#8217;s tenure.
The guide was published in August of 2025, and Hegseth disliked it so much that he ordered the War Department to scrap it entirely by December, less than six months after it was implemented.
&#8220;It mentions God one time. That’s it. It mentions feelings 11 times. It even mentions playfulness, whatever that is, nine times,&#8221; Hegseth said at the time, complaining that in the military, &#8220;chaplains have been minimized, viewed by many as therapists instead of ministers.&#8221;
The guide was summarily <a href="https://www.army.mil/article/287513/spiritual_fitness_battlebook_equips_soldiers_with_tools_for_inner_resilience">scrubbed</a> from the Army&#8217;s website.
Two other top generals were removed the same week: Gen. David Hodne, a former Army Ranger in charge of the Army’s Transformation and Training Command, and Army Chief of Staff Gen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hegseth-removes-armys-top-general-asks-him-to-retire-immediately">Randy A. George</a>.

US-POLITICS-SECURITY-HEGSETH

Hegseth Fires Army Chief Of Chaplains During Holy Week

Easter

Holy Week

Politics

Religion

U.S. Army

War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Thursday that he was ending the policy that turned U.S. military installations into &#8220;gun-free zones,&#8221; declaring in a brief video statement, &#8220;That ends today.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.war.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4450527/hegseth-authorizes-off-duty-service-members-to-carry-private-firearms-on-instal/">Hegseth</a> signed a memorandum stating that base commanders should allow service members to request permission to carry their privately-owned firearms while off duty — regardless of any firearm regulations imposed by the states in which the bases were located — and shared video explaining the move.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Our military installations have been turned into gun-free zones—leaving our service members vulnerable and exposed.
That ends today. <a href="https://t.co/IQ204YepZ0">pic.twitter.com/IQ204YepZ0</a>
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/2039803944965185634?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Our great republic is founded on a simple, yet bold idea,&#8221; Hegseth began, saying that the nation was built the idea that rights were given to the people by God rather than by the government. &#8220;250 years ago, the Revolutionary War was fought to secure our God-given rights. The Second Amendment to our Constitution enshrines the right of all citizens to carry weapons to protect themselves, their families, and their fellow countrymen.&#8221;
Hegseth went on to point out that America&#8217;s men and women in uniform were already well-trained in the use of firearms and should not be barred from exercising their rights simply because they were on a military installation.
&#8220;Our warfighters defend the right of others to carry; they should be able to carry themselves,&#8221; he added.
Hegseth went on to cite recent attacks on military installations, arguing that if trained service members were allowed to arm themselves, such threats could potentially be neutralized in shorter order.
&#8220;In these instances, minutes are a lifetime,&#8221; he explained. &#8220;And our service members have the courage and training to make those precious, short minutes count. Before today, it was virtually impossible … for War Department personnel to get permission to carry and store their own personal weapons aligned with the state laws where we operate our installations. … Well, that&#8217;s no longer.&#8221;
&#8220;The memo I&#8217;m signing today directs installation commanders to allow requests for personal protection — to carry a privately owned firearm — with the presumption that it is necessary for personal protection,&#8221; he added.
The policy effectively turning military bases into <a href="https://www.americas1stfreedom.org/content/trump-speaks-out-against-gun-free-zones-on-military-bases/">gun-free zones</a> — Department of Defense Directive 5210.56 — went into effect in February of 1992, and restricted on-base carrying to &#8220;DoD personnel regularly engaged in law-enforcement and security duties.&#8221;
President Donald Trump, during his first presidential campaign in 2015, spoke out against the policy and said that he would ensure that &#8220;America’s armed forces will be armed.&#8221;
Trump said at the time that the United States &#8220;never should have passed a ban on soldiers being able to protect themselves on bases &#8230; Our brave soldiers should not be at risk because of policy created by civilian leadership.&#8221;

TOPSHOT-US-ISRAEL-IRAN-WAR-HEGSETH

Hegseth Tears Up Controversial Military Base Rule After 34 Years

firearms

George H.W. Bush

Gun-Free Zones

Military Bases

War Secretary Pete Hegseth has asked Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George to step down and retire immediately, marking the latest shakeup at the Pentagon as the Trump administration moves to reshape military leadership.
According to <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hegseth-ousts-army-chief-of-staff-gen-randy-george/">CBS News</a>, a senior War Department official said the move reflects a desire for new leadership aligned with the administration’s priorities. “We are grateful for his service, but it was time for a leadership change in the Army,” the official said.
George, a career infantry officer and West Point graduate, was nominated by former President Joe Biden and confirmed by the Senate in 2023. The position typically carries a four-year term, meaning George would ordinarily have served until 2027. He previously served as vice chief of staff of the Army and as senior military assistant to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell <a href="https://x.com/SeanParnellASW/status/2039812664902271107">confirmed</a> George’s retirement, thanking him for his decades of service. George’s career included deployments during Operation Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom.
Gen. Christopher LaNeve, the Army’s current vice chief of staff and a former military aide to Hegseth, will serve as acting chief of staff. Parnell described LaNeve as “a battle-tested leader” trusted to carry out the administration’s vision for the Army.
The decision comes as Hegseth has removed more than a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hegseth-orders-chief-of-army-public-affairs-and-top-advisor-out-of-pentagon-staff?author=Drew+Berkemeyer&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Hegseth+Just+Canned+Top+Pentagon+Official">dozen senior military officers</a> in recent months, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-fires-joint-chiefs-chair-taps-air-force-lt-gen-dan-razin-caine-as-replacement">C.Q. Brown</a>, U.S. representative to NATO’s military council Vice Admiral <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pete-hegseth-axes-navy-official-who-promoted-gender-equality-and-womens-empowerment">Shoshana Chatfield</a>, and Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. <a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-dia-iran-intelligence-trump-kruse-5cb1fb89b8f12c3b517f139f6d840b48">Jeffrey Kruse</a>.
While the move follows a recent dispute over an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/kid-rock-sparks-military-investigation-after-wild-stunt-at-southern-white-house">Army helicopter flyover</a> near musician Kid Rock’s Nashville home, where Hegseth overruled the Army and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/army-takes-action-against-air-crews-flying-by-kid-rocks-southern-white-house-over-weekend">halted an investigation</a>, the decision to ask George to retire was not related to that incident.
George’s departure also comes amid a broader stretch of rapid developments inside the administration. On Wednesday, before the Pentagon shakeup came to light, President Donald Trump delivered a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-biggest-takeaways-from-trumps-iran-address-as-he-signals-next-moves">prime-time address</a> touting progress in ongoing operations against Iran, describing significant degradation of Iranian military capabilities while signaling the potential for further escalation, which may include Army operations.
At nearly the same time, Trump moved to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pam-bondi-out-as-ag-following-months-of-epstein-controversy-criticism-over-lack-of-prosecutions">dismiss Attorney General Pam Bondi</a>, another high-profile personnel change that underscores the fast-moving nature of the administration’s second-term agenda. Reports indicate Bondi was informed of her removal shortly before the president’s address on progress in Iran, highlighting the compressed timeline of major decisions unfolding across both national security and domestic fronts.
Taken together, the developments point to an administration operating at an accelerated pace, reshaping leadership across the military and federal government while prosecuting an increasingly assertive foreign policy. George’s ouster, in that context, is not an isolated personnel move, but part of a broader effort to align key institutions with the administration’s strategic vision.
George’s departure underscores ongoing efforts by Pentagon leadership to install officials who will implement the administration’s broader vision for the military, as tensions between civilian leadership and uniformed officials continue to surface.

President Trump Meets With His Cabinet At The White House

Hegseth Removes Army’s Top General, Asks Him To Retire Immediately

Department of War

Executive

Pentagon

Trump Administration

Signaling a seismic shift in the post-WWII global order, President Donald Trump said he is &#8220;strongly considering&#8221; withdrawing the United States from NATO, delivering one of his clearest warnings that Washington may no longer be willing to underwrite European security without reciprocal support.
Delivered in a characteristically blunt interview with <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/04/01/donald-trump-strongly-considering-pulling-us-out-of-nato/">The Telegraph</a>, Trump argued the alliance has become a &#8220;one-way street,&#8221; with the United States expected to defend Europe while allies decline to support American operations.
The catalyst for this potential divorce is the refusal of European allies to support the U.S.-led effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz — a vital artery for 20% of the world’s oil — which has been temporarily shuttered by Tehran.
Asked whether he would reconsider U.S. membership after the war with Iran is over, Trump did not hedge.
“Oh yes, I would say beyond reconsideration,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way.”
Trump pointed directly to European reluctance to support efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for 20% of the world&#8217;s oil that has been shuttered by Iran, as evidence that the alliance is failing, and noted that while the United States has &#8220;automatically&#8221; stood by Europe, including in non-member states like Ukraine, the favor has not been returned.
&#8220;They weren’t there for us,&#8221; Trump remarked, specifically lambasting UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer for a lack of naval support.
Senior administration officials are now echoing the president&#8217;s frustration.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that continued U.S. participation in NATO cannot be taken for granted if allies expect protection while limiting American military flexibility.
&#8220;If NATO is just about us defending Europe if they’re attacked but then denying us basing rights when we need them, that’s not a very good arrangement,&#8221; he said.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth went further, arguing the war has exposed a fundamental imbalance.
&#8220;You don’t have much of an alliance if you have countries that are not willing to stand with you when you need them,&#8221; Hegseth stated.
The statements point to a hardening of the administration&#8217;s NATO stance. Sources suggest the White House is eyeing a model that would block delinquent or uncooperative members from decision-making and is revisiting plans to withdraw troops from Germany.
As the U.S. and Israel continue air strikes against Iran’s nuclear program, the message from Washington is clear: the era of the American &#8220;blank check&#8221; for European security is over. If NATO will not serve as a platform for mutual security, President Trump appears ready to walk away from the table entirely.

President Trump Holds Cabinet Meeting

Trump Eyes Major NATO Shift After Allies Fail Key Test

Marco Rubio

NATO

WASHINGTON—War Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday laid down the law for members of President Donald Trump&#8217;s base who want more clarity on the war in Iran.
“I don’t understand why the base … wouldn’t have faith in his ability to execute on this,” Hegseth told Daily Wire White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan, pointing to President Trump’s record of pursuing “peace through strength” and “America First outcomes.”
In a Pentagon press briefing, Olohan asked Hegseth if he had a message &#8220;to Americans who love the president and strongly believe in him but are very worried about this notion of boots on the ground?”
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This morning I asked Secretary Pete Hegseth what his message is to Americans who love the president and support him, but are very anxious about this notion of &#8220;boots on the ground&#8221;: <a href="https://t.co/yvWJctIUt7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pic.twitter.com/yvWJctIUt7</a>
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/2039001865505968287?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March 31, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Hegseth made it clear that while the president was keeping every option on the table, he would not aid the Iranian enemy forces by making known publicly what the next move would be.
“We’re not going to foreclose any option. You can’t fight and win a war if you tell your adversary what you are willing to do or what you are not willing to do, to include boots on the ground.”
While he nodded to the possibility of diplomacy (&#8220;maybe negotiations work, or maybe there’s a different approach”), Hegseth&#8217;s answer reinforced that escalation remains a live option. He also sought to reassure skeptics indirectly, arguing that Trump has “internalized the lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan” and would not repeat past mistakes, even while keeping all military tools available.
While support for the war itself remains strong, as does <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cnn-pollster-admits-it-reports-of-magas-death-have-been-grossly-exaggerated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">support among MAGA</a> for Trump, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fox-news-poll-voters-oppose-action-iran-give-u-s-military-positive-marks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">polling</a> shows broad backing among Trump voters for strikes targeting Iran’s military infrastructure; support <a href="https://apnorc.org/projects/most-say-the-united-states-recent-military-actions-against-iran-have-gone-too-far/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drops off sharply</a> when it comes to sending ground troops. Recent surveys show a majority of Republicans, and an even larger share of the broader electorate, oppose deploying U.S. troops, with roughly half of Republicans and nearly three-quarters of all voters against “boots on the ground.”
That divide has already begun to show up publicly, with cracks emerging inside the MAGA movement over the direction of the war and fears that it could become another prolonged Middle East conflict. Loud voices have increasingly warned against <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/19/pete-hegseth-iran-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mission creep</a>, invoking Iraq and Afghanistan as cautionary examples of conflicts that began with limited objectives but expanded over time.
Hegseth, while engaging at length, offered little in the way of direct reassurance. Instead, he leaned into strategic ambiguity and the need to keep adversaries guessing.
“Our adversary right now thinks there are 15 different ways we could come at them with boots on the ground,” he said. “And guess what? There are.”

Pete Hegseth And Dan Caine Hold Pentagon Press Briefing On Operation Epic Fury

Hegseth Gets Real With MAGA Voters Worried About Iran War

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Secretary of War Pete Hegseth revealed Tuesday that he recently made an undisclosed trip to multiple United States military bases throughout the Middle East to meet with troops and observe ongoing operations. 
“Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to visit our troops fighting in Operation Epic Fury,” Hegseth said during a Tuesday morning press briefing. “For reasons of operational security, so those troops are not targeted, the places and bases will not be named.”
“I had a chance to bear witness, and I witnessed the best of America. I witnessed warriors, a brotherhood of men and women, warriors all,” he added. “Active duty, Guard and reserve, united in their love for each other, their shared purpose, and their commitment to the mission.”
After the press briefing, Hegseth posted pictures from the trip on his social media. 
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I witnessed warriors. A brotherhood of men and women &#8211; warriors all. <a href="https://t.co/S7cDcATpOI">pic.twitter.com/S7cDcATpOI</a>
— Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar/status/2038965468736716939?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 31, 2026</a></blockquote>
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He described speaking with service members involved in strike missions, as well as personnel tasked with intercepting drones and missiles. 
“I spoke to Air Force and Navy pilots on the flight line who every day both deliver bombs deep into Iran but also shoot down drones defending their base. Many had just returned from the skies of Iran and Tehran,” Hegseth said. “I put on a headset and spoke to one crew in the cockpit, locked and loaded each and every day.”
Hegseth added that he spoke with an Army officer who had learned a new maneuver to neutralize Iranian missiles and another intelligence officer involved in targeting decisions. 
During the same briefing, Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan &#8220;Razin&#8221; Caine said American forces have struck more than 11,000 targets since the beginning of the war on February 28. 
Caine added that the Air Force had begun conducting overland B-52 missions and that more than 150 Iranian naval vessels had been destroyed as American forces expanded operations in the region.

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Hegseth Took Secret Middle East Trip To Visit Troops On ‘Epic Fury’ Front Lines

In a Palm Sunday homily treated by legacy media as a direct moral indictment of President Trump’s foreign policy — and possibly a criticism of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth — Pope Leo XIV declared on Sunday that God &#8220;does not listen&#8221; to leaders who wage war while claiming His name.
Speaking to tens of thousands in St. Peter’s Square amid the ongoing war between Iran and a joint coalition of the United States and Israel, the first American Pope <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/pope-leo-says-god-rejects-prayers-leaders-who-wage-wars-2026-03-29">said</a> that Jesus “does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, but rejects them, saying: &#8216;Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood,&#8217;” citing a biblical passage.
The Pope did not specifically name any world leaders, but he has been ramping up criticism of ​the Iran war in recent weeks. 
During an appeal at the end of Sunday&#8217;s celebration, the pope lamented that ‌Christians ⁠in the Middle East &#8220;are suffering the consequences of an atrocious conflict&#8221; and may not be able to celebrate Easter.
President Trump has framed the intervention in Iran as a necessary defense of Western civilization.
Earlier this month, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, a devout Christian, said at a press conference:
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My 13-year-old son popped into my office last night while I was editing these remarks. He asked about the war and the families I met at Dover. And I looked at him and I said, &#8220;They died for you, son, so that your generation doesn&#8217;t have to deal with a nuclear Iran.&#8221; It&#8217;s the truth, and they did  &#8230;  So to the families who said &#8220;Finish this,&#8221; we will. And I say the same to every American who wants peace through strength: May Almighty God continue to bless our troops in this fight. And again, to the American people, please pray for them every day, on bended knee, with your family, in your schools, in your churches, in the name of Jesus Christ. To the troops:  Keep going. And Godspeed. 
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Sunday was not the first time the pontiff addressed the hostilities against Iran.
Just <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2026-03/pope-leo-xiv-angelus-appeal-peace-middle-east-iran.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com">after</a> the United States launched Operation Epic Fury against the intransigent Iranian regime, Pope Leo stated, “Stability and peace are not built with mutual threats, nor with weapons, which sow destruction, pain, and death, but only through a reasonable, authentic, and responsible dialogue.”
The Trump administration has said that its decision to strike was made after it determined that the Iranian regime was not negotiating in good faith.

FILE PHOTO: Pope Leo XIV holds a general audience in Saint Peter’s Square at the Vatican

Pope Says God ‘Does Not Listen To The Prayers Of Those Who Wage War’

Pope Leo

ABC News anchor Jonathan Karl referenced Sun Tzu and &#8216;The Art of War&#8217; as he struggled on Sunday to piece together a cohesive strategy from President Donald Trump&#8217;s statements regarding his potential next moves in Iran.
Karl, on Sunday&#8217;s broadcast of &#8220;This Week,&#8221; presented a number of seemingly-conflicting statements and movements, saying that at times it was impossible to tell whether the Trump administration was planning to bring Operation Epic Fury to an end or further escalate the military action against the Iranian regime.
WATCH:
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“Listening to President Trump’s words at any given moment, it sounds like the war is about to end — or it’s about to intensify.”
One month into the war with Iran, <a href="https://twitter.com/jonkarl?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JonKarl</a> breaks down Trump’s often conflicting statements about the war&#8217;s developments.<a href="https://t.co/LMawxMOHLc">https://t.co/LMawxMOHLc</a> <a href="https://t.co/XuToAZZKLy">pic.twitter.com/XuToAZZKLy</a>
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/2038242688458269151?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 29, 2026</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;In &#8216;The Art of War,&#8217; Sun Tzu wrote that a leader&#8217;s plans must be as dark and impenetrable as night,&#8221; Karl began, saying that Trump might not be basing his strategy on Sun Tzu but his plans were certainly difficult to pin down.
Karl highlighted the conflicting statements about developments in Iran, saying that Trump spent half the time talking about how many objectives had already been achieved — some, as he&#8217;s said on several occasions, ahead of schedule — while quietly moving to build up troops in the area, and perhaps signaling a coming escalation.
&#8220;Just consider his words over the past ten days,&#8221; Karl said. &#8220;On March 20th, he declared that he was &#8216;close to meeting his military objective and considering winding down our military efforts in the Middle East.&#8217; The very next day he announced a major escalation, threatening to &#8216;hit and obliterate&#8217; Iranian power infrastructure if the regime did not fully open the Strait of Hormuz.&#8221;
Just days later, Karl noted, Trump had announced that he&#8217;d been having &#8220;productive&#8221; conversations with officials regarding bringing hostilities to a close – but then extended the deadline more than once.
&#8220;Listening to President Trump&#8217;s words at any given moment, it sounds like the war is about to end — or it’s about to intensify,&#8221; Karl remarked.
Since the beginning of Operation Epic Fury, Trump and a number of his surrogates — including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and War Secretary Pete Hegseth have repeatedly made it clear that they would not, at least publicly, remove any military or diplomatic options from the table. That in conjunction with Trump&#8217;s apparently-conflicting statements and actions suggest that he has, in fact, taken &#8220;The Art of War&#8221; to heart.

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