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Tag: Pete Hegseth

  • Hegseth blasts ‘narco-terrorists’ targeted by Trump admin as ‘the al Qaeda of the Western Hemisphere’

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    As the U.S. continues conducting deadly strikes against vessels it claims are involved in drug trafficking, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth again described the “narco-terrorists” the U.S. has been targeting as “the al Qaeda of the Western Hemisphere.”

    Hegseth’s comments, which he made in Malaysia, repeated the point he has previously made as the Trump administration stands staunchly behind its controversial policy.

    HEGSETH, IN TALKS WITH CHINESE COUNTERPART, SAYS US WILL ‘STOUTLY DEFEND’ INTERESTS IN INDO-PACIFIC

    Secretary of War Pete Hegseth delivers remarks as President Donald Trump delivers an announcement on his Homeland Security Task Force in the State Dining Room of the White House on Oct. 23, 2025, in Washington, D.C. ( Alex Wong/Getty Images)

    “These cartels are the Al Qaeda of the Western Hemisphere, using violence, murder and terrorism to impose their will, threaten our national security and poison our people. The United States military will treat these organizations like the terrorists they are—they will be hunted, and killed, just like Al Qaeda,” Hegseth asserted in an Oct. 19 post on X when discussing one of the strikes.

    Dozens have been killed over the course of the Trump administration’s many strikes.

    HEGSETH SAYS MILITARY CONDUCTED ANOTHER STRIKE ON BOAT CARRYING ALLEGED NARCO-TERRORISTS

    President Donald Trump and Hegseth both likened the cartels to ISIS during comments last week.

    “It should now be clear to the entire world that the cartels are the ISIS of the Western Hemisphere,” the commander in chief said on October 23.

    RAND PAUL RIPS JD VANCE’S ASSERTION THAT EXECUTING CARTEL MEMBERS IS THE ‘BEST USE OF OUR MILITARY’

    War Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Donald Trump

    Pete Hegseth, secretary of defense, left, and President Donald Trump during an announcement on the Homeland Security Task Force in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. (Will Oliver/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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    Hegseth underscored the point. 

    “Well as the president said, this is the ISIS, this is the al Qaeda, of the Western Hemisphere,” he noted.

    Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.

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  • Exclusive: National Guard orders in DC extended through February 2026 – WTOP News

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    The troops’ orders had been expected to lapse at the end of November before Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth extended them, which has not been previously reported.

    National Guard soldiers stand at the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in the early morning.

    (CNN) — National Guard troops deployed in Washington, DC, will remain mobilized in the city at least through February 2026, according to people familiar with the guard’s orders.

    The troops’ orders had been expected to lapse at the end of November before Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth extended them, which has not been previously reported.

    The DC mobilization is currently the subject of a legal fight between the Trump administration and DC’s attorney general, who has requested that a judge order the removal of the roughly 2,000 troops from DC’s streets.

    As of Wednesday morning, there were 2,387 National Guard troops mobilized in DC, including from DC, Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, West Virginia, Georgia and Alabama. The pay for those guard members has also been in jeopardy as part of the ongoing government shutdown. The mission is costing roughly $1 million daily.

    Trump said in August he was mobilizing the guard in DC to help fight crime. The troops are on Title 32 orders, meaning they are authorized to conduct law enforcement activities, as opposed to Title 10 orders which means they are federalized and therefore barred by law to engage in law enforcement activities.

    But since they arrived in the city over two months ago, guard members have largely been tasked with “beautification” efforts around the city, including cleaning up parks, laying mulch and picking up trash.

    CNN has reported that there was frustration with the mission’s unclear timeline, particularly as troops often leave behind higher-paying civilian jobs while deployed with the guard.

    A previous extension through November was largely intended to ensure the continuity of benefits for service members and their families, a senior official familiar with the planning previously told CNN. Guard members do not typically qualify for things like health care benefits or housing allowances unless they are on orders for more than 30 days.

    But the Trump administration has also left the door open for how long the mission could continue. In August, Vice President JD Vance said if Trump “thinks that he has to extend this order to ensure that people have access to public safety, then that’s exactly what he’ll do.”

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  • Sen. Warner blasts Trump admin for excluding Democrats from briefings on boat strikes: ‘Deeply troubling’

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    Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, slammed the Trump administration after it held briefings with only Republican lawmakers on the U.S. military strikes targeting alleged drug boats in the Caribbean.

    Warner called the move to exclude Democrats from the national security briefings “indefensible and dangerous.”

    “Shutting Democrats out of a briefing on U.S. military strikes and withholding the legal justification for those strikes from half the Senate is indefensible and dangerous,” the senator said in a statement. “Decisions about the use of American military force are not campaign strategy sessions, and they are not the private property of one political party.”

    “For any administration to treat them that way erodes our national security and flies in the face of Congress’ constitutional obligation to oversee matters of war and peace,” he continued.

    HEGSETH SAYS MILITARY CONDUCTED ANOTHER STRIKE ON BOAT CARRYING ALLEGED NARCO-TERRORISTS

    Sen. Mark Warner criticized the Trump administration for excluding Democrats from briefings on U.S. military strikes against alleged drug boats. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

    Warner said the partisan “stunt” is a “slap in the face” to Congress’ war powers responsibilities and to the men and women in uniform. He also stressed that it sets a “reckless and deeply troubling precedent.”

    Reports indicate that the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) produced a legal opinion justifying the strikes, which Democrats have been demanding in recent weeks.

    “The administration must immediately provide to Democrats the same briefing and the OLC opinion justifying these strikes, as Secretary Rubio personally promised me that he would in a face-to-face meeting on Capitol Hill just last week,” Warner said in his statement. “Americans deserve a government that fulfills its constitutional duties and treats decisions about the use of military force with the seriousness they demand.”

    The Pentagon, responding to Warner’s criticism, claimed that the “appropriate” committees were briefed on the strikes.

    “The Department of War has briefed the appropriate committees of jurisdiction, including the Senate Intelligence committee, numerous times throughout the operations targeting narco-terrorists,” Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson said in a statement. “These have occurred on a bipartisan basis, and will continue as such.”

    SENATORS LOOK TO BLOCK TRUMP FROM ENGAGING IN ‘HOSTILITIES’ IN VENEZUELA

    Secretary Pete Hegseth

    Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday that the U.S. military struck another boat carrying people he claims were narco-terrorists. (Omar Havana/Getty Images)

    On Wednesday, Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee also penned a letter demanding to review the legal justification behind the series of boat strikes they say appear to violate several laws.

    “Drug trafficking is a terrible crime that has had devastating impacts on American families and communities and should be prosecuted. Nonetheless, the President’s actions to hold alleged drug traffickers accountable must still conform with the law,” the letter states.

    The Trump administration has also been scrutinized over the strikes by members of his own party, including Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who raised concerns about killing people without due process and the possibility of killing innocent people.

    Paul has cited Coast Guard statistics that show a significant percentage of boats boarded for suspicion of drug trafficking are innocent.

    The senator has also argued that if the administration plans to engage in a war with Venezuela after it has targeted boats it claims are transporting drugs for the Venezuela-linked Tren de Aragua gang, it must seek a declaration of war from Congress. In the House, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., has made similar statements.

    Pentagon

    The Pentagon claimed that the “appropriate” committees were briefed on the strikes. (Reuters)

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    This comes as Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth announced the U.S. military on Wednesday struck another boat carrying people he said were narco-terrorists. The strikes were carried out in the Eastern Pacific region at the direction of President Donald Trump, killing four men on board.

    That was the 14th strike on suspected drug boats carried out since September. A total of 61 have reportedly been killed while three survived, including at least two who were later repatriated to their home countries.

    The Pentagon has not released the identities of those killed or evidence that drugs were on board.

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  • Hegseth works out with US troops in Malaysia as War Department vows ‘we will be fit, not fat’

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    The War Department showed off photos of War Secretary Pete Hegseth working out with U.S. troops stationed in Malaysia, vowing America’s soldiers will be “fit, not fat.”

    “Secretary Hegseth joined our warriors for morning PT in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,” the DOW’s rapid response account wrote on X. “From the top down, we will be FIT, NOT FAT!”

    The images come just one month after Hegseth announced that all combat personnel would be required to meet the highest male physical standard in order to maintain their positions. 

    During the Sept. 30 presentation at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Hegseth called on the department to “restore a ruthless, dispassionate and commonsense application of standards.”

    ‘COME-TO-JESUS MEETING’: MILITARY COMMUNITY REACTS TO HEGSETH’S GET FIT, GET IN LINE OR GET OUT SPEECH

    War Secretary Pete Hegseth runs with troops in Malaysia. (@DOWResponse/X)

    The secretary said that as part of the new mandate, “every member of the joint force at every rank is required to take a test twice a year, as well as meet height and weight requirements twice a year, every year of service.” Additionally, members of the joint force will be required to do PT [physical training] every duty day, something Hegseth said is standard in many units but would be officially codified.

    “If the Secretary of War can do regular hard PT, so can every member of our joint force,” he said.

    Hegseth trains with troops

    War Secretary Pete Hegseth exercises with troops one month after announcing new physical requirements for U.S. military personnel. (@DOWResponse/X)

    HEGSETH INSTATES ‘HIGHEST MALE STANDARD ONLY’ FOR COMBAT, OTHER CHANGES, DECLARING DEPT OF DEFENSE ‘IS OVER’

    Hegseth railed against “fat troops” and “fat generals and admirals in the halls of the Pentagon,” arguing that physical standards for American service members had eroded, and it was time to raise the bar.

    In September, President Donald Trump issued an executive order turning the Department of Defense back into the Department of War. In the order, Trump said that the founders chose the department’s original name “to signal our strength and resolve to the world.”

    Hegseth speaks to senior military leadership

    Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaks to senior military leaders at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Sept. 30, 2025.  (Andrew Harnik/Pool via Reuters)

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    When Hegseth unveiled the new physical requirements, just weeks after Trump issued his order, the secretary declared “the era of the Department of Defense is over.”

    “From this moment forward, the only mission of the newly restored Department of War is this: war fighting. Preparing for war and preparing to win,” Hegseth added.

    In response to a request for comment, the Pentagon referred Fox News Digital to Hegseth’s social media posts and his speech at Quantico. 

    Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.

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  • 14 Killed in U.S. Strikes on Four Alleged Drug Boats in Eastern Pacific

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    The U.S. carried out three new lethal strikes on four vessels allegedly operated by drug smugglers in the Eastern Pacific on Monday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.

    In total, 14 alleged “narco-terrorists” were killed in the three strikes, which left one survivor, Hegseth wrote in a social-media post. U.S. Southern Command notified the Coast Guard to initiate search and rescue operations for the survivor, before relaying the information to a Mexican military aircraft operating in the area, according to a Pentagon official. Mexican authorities picked up the survivor, the official said.

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    Lara Seligman

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  • More deadly U.S. strikes on boats allegedly carrying drugs in the Pacific

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    The U.S. military carried out strikes against four vessels allegedly carrying drugs in the Pacific, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Tuesday, adding that at least 14 people were killed. CBS News’ Charlie D’Agata has more details.

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  • Trump ally who donated $130 million to pay troops amid shutdown revealed as reclusive billionaire heir: report

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    The anonymous donor who gave $130 million to the Pentagon to pay troops during the government shutdown has been identified as Timothy Mellon, a reclusive billionaire and a major financial backer of President Donald Trump, according to a report.

    Trump announced the donation on Thursday, but declined to reveal the donor’s identity, only describing him as a “patriot” and a friend. The president again refused to name the person on Friday while talking to reporters aboard Air Force One shortly after departing Washington for Asia, calling the donor “a great American citizen” and a “substantial man.”

    “He doesn’t want publicity,” Trump said on Friday. “He prefer that his name not be mentioned, which is pretty unusual in the world I come from, and in the world of politics, you want your name mentioned.”

    But the two people familiar with the matter told The New York Times that the man is Mellon, a wealthy banking heir and railroad magnate.

    MYSTERY TRUMP ALLY DONATES $130M TO COVER TROOPS’ PAYCHECKS AMID SHUTDOWN CHAOS

    The anonymous donor who gave $130 million to the Pentagon to pay troops during the government shutdown has been identified as Timothy Mellon. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

    It remains unclear how long the donation will cover the troops’ salaries. The Trump administration’s 2025 budget asked for about $600 billion in total military compensation, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

    The $130 million donation would equal about $100 a service member, according to The New York Times.

    Mellon, a grandson of former Treasury Secretary Andrew W. Mellon, is a backer of Trump who gave tens of millions of dollars to groups supporting the president’s 2024 campaign. Last year, he gave $50 million to a super PAC supporting Trump, making it one of the largest single contributions ever disclosed, the newspaper noted.

    Trump visits Selfridge National Guard base

    President Donald Trump had declined to reveal the donor’s identity. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

    The billionaire was not a prominent Republican donor until Trump was first elected but has given hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years into supporting the president and the GOP.

    He is also a significant supporter of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who also ran for president in 2024, first as a Democrat and later as an independent before dropping out to endorse Trump. Mellon donated millions to Kennedy’s presidential campaign and has also given money to the secretary’s anti-vaccine nonprofit, Children’s Health Defense, according to The New York Times.

    Despite his political contributions, Mellon has sought to keep a low profile.

    TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FREEZES $11 BILLION IN BLUE-STATE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS, BLAMES DEMOCRATS FOR SHUTDOWN

    Pentagon

    The Pentagon said it accepted the donation under the “general gift acceptance authority.” (Reuters)

    In an autobiography published in 2015, Mellon described himself as a former liberal who moved from Connecticut to Wyoming for lower taxes and fewer people.

    The Pentagon said it accepted the donation under the “general gift acceptance authority.”

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    “The donation was made on the condition that it be used to offset the cost of service members’ salaries and benefits,” Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a statement to The New York Times.

    But the donation may be a potential violation of the Antideficiency Act, which prohibits federal agencies from spending money in excess of congressional appropriations or from accepting voluntary services.

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  • Trump intensifies military strikes on suspected drug cartels

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    President Donald Trump’s administration has intensified its military campaign against alleged drug smugglers, with a ninth strike announced overnight targeting a boat suspected of carrying drugs.Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the ninth strike resulted in the deaths of three people. On Tuesday, the administration reported that two individuals were killed in a separate attack on a boat suspected of smuggling drugs toward the U.S.Trump has justified these military actions by asserting the U.S. is engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels. He said, “We will hit them very hard when they come in by land and they haven’t experienced that yet, but now we’re totally prepared to do that. We’ll probably go back to Congress and explain exactly what we’re doing when we come to the land.”Lawmakers from both political parties have expressed concerns about President Trump ordering these military actions without receiving authorization from Congress or providing many details.Typically, the Coast Guard intercepts alleged drug smugglers, arrests them, and turns them over to the court system for prosecution. The Trump administration is skipping that step and using the military to kill them. In one strike, two people survived. Instead of prosecuting them, the White House returned the alleged drug smugglers to their home countries of Ecuador and Colombia, where at least one of them did not face charges. Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:

    WASHINGTON —

    President Donald Trump’s administration has intensified its military campaign against alleged drug smugglers, with a ninth strike announced overnight targeting a boat suspected of carrying drugs.

    Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the ninth strike resulted in the deaths of three people.

    On Tuesday, the administration reported that two individuals were killed in a separate attack on a boat suspected of smuggling drugs toward the U.S.

    Trump has justified these military actions by asserting the U.S. is engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels. He said, “We will hit them very hard when they come in by land and they haven’t experienced that yet, but now we’re totally prepared to do that. We’ll probably go back to Congress and explain exactly what we’re doing when we come to the land.”

    Lawmakers from both political parties have expressed concerns about President Trump ordering these military actions without receiving authorization from Congress or providing many details.

    Typically, the Coast Guard intercepts alleged drug smugglers, arrests them, and turns them over to the court system for prosecution. The Trump administration is skipping that step and using the military to kill them.

    In one strike, two people survived. Instead of prosecuting them, the White House returned the alleged drug smugglers to their home countries of Ecuador and Colombia, where at least one of them did not face charges.

    Keep watching for the latest from the Washington News Bureau:


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  • U.S. Widens Campaign Against Alleged Drug Boats With Eastern Pacific Strikes

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    The U.S. said Wednesday it had struck two suspected drug boats on the Pacific side of South America, widening its campaign against alleged drug trafficking and transnational crime.

    Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted videos of the strikes on X and said one took place Tuesday in the eastern Pacific Ocean and another Wednesday. The two attacks killed five people on board the boats, he said, without providing more details about the vessels or their precise locations except to say that the strikes occurred in international waters.

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    Shelby Holliday

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  • Details on 7th U.S. strike against alleged drug boat

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    Details on 7th U.S. strike against alleged drug boat – CBS News










































    Watch CBS News



    Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the U.S. struck a seventh alleged drug-carrying boat in the Caribbean on Friday. CBS News Pentagon reporter Eleanor Watson has the details.

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  • ‘Stop with this fascist trope’: Pete Hegseth has everyone questioning as he confuses the Marine Corps | The Mary Sue

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    Oct 20th, 2025, 10:52 am

    WASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 04: U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth arrives for a meeting with U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) at the U.S. Capitol on December 4, 2024 in Washington, DC. Hegseth continues to meet with Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill as new allegations of alcohol abuse and sexual misconduct have emerged. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

    Pete Hegseth has never shied away from expressing his problematic thoughts out loud. Very recently, he said that military and other defence personnel will be held to the highest “male standard”, while completely disregarding the existence of women in the field. Now, he is saying that there is no strength in diversity. What is going on?

    During the 250th Marine Corps anniversary celebrations held on October 18 (the same day as the America-wide ‘No Kings’ protests), the United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth dropped by Camp Pendleton. Taking to the podium, he delivered a few words of encouragement to the people congregated there. However, in a particularly shocking segment, he said that he did not believe in diversity. He said:

    “Your diversity is not your strength. Never has been. Your strength is in your unity of purpose. It’s in your shared mission. It’s in your oath to the Constitution. It’s the bond that turns individuals into single-minded fighting units.”

    The internet was not having it with Pete Hegseth’s diversity comments. As soon as clips of the event started circulating online, many people called out his nonsense. The conversations on X (formerly Twitter) were particularly noteworthy as multiple people bashed Hegseth using such strong words that it even left the MAGA people speechless. One person highlighted how far away from reality Hegseth’s comments were and said:

    “Diversity is our one and only strength in America. He needs to stop with this fascist trope. Our military is the People’s military, and reflects our diverse nation. It’s not Pete Hegseth’s military to push his fascist ideology on.”

    Another person said:

    “Diversity is not your strength… Exactly the message that you’d expect out of  this white house. As they try to scrub diversity from history, labeling non-white male accomplishments as DEI. Why am I not surprised?”

    Multiple others also echoed similar opinions. It’s mind-boggling how those in power can take centre stage and spread hate like Hegseth did. As the American people cling to every bit of democracy left, with Trump pushing the country towards autocracy, Hegseth’s comments remind us of what really matters, which is certainly not what he says.

    Have a tip we should know? [email protected]

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    Sanchari Ghosh

    Sanchari Ghosh is a political writer for The Mary Sue who enjoys keeping up with what’s going on in the world and sometimes reminding everyone what they should be talking about. She’s been around for a few years, but still gets excited whenever she disentangles a complicated story. When she’s not writing, she’s likely sleeping, eating, daydreaming, or just hanging out with friends. Politics is her passion, but so is an amazing nap.

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  • Video: How Trump Aims to Redefine the Military

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    new video loaded: How Trump Aims to Redefine the Military

    President Trump and his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, have been reshaping the way the U.S. military works. David Sanger, who covers the White House and national security for The New York Times, explains how Trump has been using the military lately.

    By David E. Sanger, Melanie Bencosme, Laura Salaberry and Pierre Kattar

    October 20, 2025

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    David E. Sanger, Melanie Bencosme, Laura Salaberry and Pierre Kattar

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  • ‘First to fight’: Marine VP JD Vance marks Corps’ 250th as Hegseth says unity, not ‘diversity,’ is strength

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    Vice President JD Vance joined Marines and sailors at Camp Pendleton in California on Saturday for the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Marine Corps, telling the crowd that the Corps remains ready to fight and ready to win.

    The anniversary event included an amphibious assault demonstration on Red Beach, speeches from military leaders and cabinet officials, and a reminder from Vance that he is the first Marine to serve as vice president.

    Helicopters roared overhead and amphibious vehicles surged through the surf as Marines charged the beach to open the ceremony. Second Lady Usha Vance accompanied her husband to watch the display while families shaded their eyes and Ospreys thundered overhead.

    This year’s ceremony marked a quarter millennium since the Continental Congress first authorized the Marine Corps in 1775.

    NEWSOM CLASHES WITH WHITE HOUSE OVER MARINE CORPS ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION HIGHWAY CLOSURE

    Vice President JD Vance speaks during the Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary celebration at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Saturday. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

    General Eric Smith, Commandant of the Marine Corps, told the crowd that what they were seeing was the sound and look of freedom. He described the Corps as America’s “911 force” and warned that Marines must be ready for whatever comes next.

    “The next fight is coming,” he said. “Marines will be ready. Ready to fight. Ready to win.”

    The next fight is coming. Marines will be ready. Ready to fight. Ready to win.

    — General Eric Smith, Commandant of the United States Marine Corps

    “When it matters most, it’s not technology or equipment that wins the day, but the dependability, decisiveness and character of the Marine or sailor who wields it,” Smith said. He ended by thanking families and offering a blessing for their sacrifices.

    VP VANCE’S CAMP ACCUSES CALIFORNIA GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM OF DISSEMINATING ‘FAKE NEWS’ AHEAD OF MARINES CELEBRATION

    Pete Hegseth speaks at Marine Corps 250th anniversary event

    Secretary of War Pete Hegseth delivers remarks during the Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary celebration at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Saturday. (Oliver Contreras/AFP via Getty Images)

    Secretary of War Pete Hegseth then delivered one of the day’s most fiery addresses. A combat veteran himself, he told the Marines that the Corps stood strong when others wavered. 

    “I’m not supposed to say this, really not. But I think you guys might be my favorite,” Hegseth said.

    He tied the Corps to the administration’s broader theme of America First, peace through strength, and common sense at every turn. Hegseth reminded the crowd that while many different faces fill the ranks, unity of mission is the true strength of the Corps. 

    “The truth is, your diversity is not your strength. Never has been. Your strength is in your unity of purpose. It’s in your shared mission. It’s in your oath to the Constitution. It’s the bond that turns individuals into single-minded fighting units. You see, you are set apart. You’re not civilians. You’re devil dogs, leathernecks, United States Marines,” the Secretary said, drawing cheers.

    The crowd erupted when Vance took the stage. 

    “God bless you, Marines,” he began, smiling as chants of “Oorah!” echoed back. He quickly reminded them that he’s the first Marine to hold the office of vice president. “From one Marine to another, thank you for your service,” he said.

    “I’ve also got to give a special shout out to the incredible display that we saw earlier today. It made my heart sing,” Vance said. “As your vice president, and it was a testament to the core strength and unbeatable power. It reminded me why I am so proud to have worn the uniform, to be one among your ranks, and to be the very first vice president to have been a United States Marine.”

    Vance used his speech to honor heroes, remember the fallen and reflect on his own service. He mentioned Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. Dakota Meyer who served in Afghanistan, Navy corpsman Charles Cram who helped raise the flag at Iwo Jima, and Navy aviator Elmer Royce Williams who survived the longest dogfight in American history.

    TRUMP DECLARES ‘REAWAKENING’ OF ‘WARRIOR SPIRIT,’ UNWAVERING SUPPORT FOR MILITARY: ‘I HAVE YOUR BACKS’

    JD Vance raises fist at Marine Corps anniversary event.

    Vice President JD Vance raises his fist as helicopters fly over Marines during the Corps’ 250th anniversary celebration at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Saturday. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

    The vice president mixed solemnity with humor that fellow Marines recognized immediately. He joked about the “E-4 Mafia” and shared a story about a gunnery sergeant who once saved him from signing a 22% interest used car loan by steering him to Navy Federal Credit Union.

    “That gunny’s leadership didn’t just save me money,” Vance said. “It taught me that Marines look out for each other.”

    Vance’s remarks included a particular story from boot camp. Recruits queued for Catholic or Protestant church services and Vance, referring to himself in the third person as, “recruit,” called himself an atheist. 

    “Get in the Catholic line,” the drill instructor snapped. That punchline, Vance joked, “wouldn’t work in the Biden administration.”

    Vance also took aim at Democrats in Congress over the government shutdown, promising that the administration would fight to ensure enlisted Marines are paid. 

    “We will do everything possible to make sure enlisted Marines get paid,” he said. “Political battles in Washington should not come at the expense of troops and their families.”

    JD Vance and wife Usha at Marine Corps anniversary

    Vice President JD Vance speaks with his wife Usha Vance before attending the Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary celebration at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Saturday. (Oliver Contreras/AFP via Getty Images)

    He tied the 250th anniversary back to the Corps’ beginnings at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia in 1775. He named battles that define Marine history: from Belleau Wood and Iwo Jima to the Chosin Reservoir, Khe Sanh, Ramadi, Fallujah and Helmand, and told the audience that every generation of the Corps shares the same common purpose.

    “Every single person here bleeds Marine Corps green,” Vance said. “It is our common purpose that carries us forward.”

    Every single person here bleeds Marine Corps green.

    — Vice President JD Vance

    Vance reminded East Coast Marines swatting sand fleas at Parris Island that their bond is the same as those climbing the hills of California. He spoke of his pride in wearing the Corps’ uniform and closed with words that Marines have heard before but welcomed on their birthday.

    “Keep kicking a–. Keep taking names. Semper Fidelis, Marines. Happy 250th birthday. God bless you,” he said.

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    The ceremony ended with the roar of the crowd as the day carried reminders of sacrifice, grit and unity.

    The Department of War, Navy, and Vance’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The Marine Corps offered no further comment to Fox News Digital at this time.

    Jasmine Baehr is a Breaking News Writer for Fox News Digital, where she covers politics, the military, faith and culture.

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  • Pentagon Slams Netflix’s Boots as “Woke Garbage”

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    Pentagon Press Secretary has scathing remarks for “Boots” an LGBT+ military Netflix series.

    Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson had a lot to say about the new Netflix series “Boots” that was released earlier this month. Wilson said in a statement that Netflix’s “leadership consistently produces and feeds woke garbage to their audience”. The show follows a closeted gay teen who impulsively follows his best friend’s lead in enlisting in the Marine Corps. The show is loosely based on Marine Corps Sergeant Greg Cope White’s memoir “The Pink Marine,” which details his journey as a gay man in the military in the 1970s-80s, when it was illegal.

    “Boots” deviates as it takes place during the 1990s, or the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” era, where gay soldiers were allowed to serve as long as they remained silent about their sexual orientation. Although it isn’t directly about his life, White served as a writer for the show alongside late producer and WWII veteran Norman Lear. Andy Parker, the creator of the show, “did not feel the series was inherently political”, however, Secretary Wilson disagreed, stating that the US Military “will not compromise our standards to satisfy an ideological agenda”.

    This statement aligns with the beliefs of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News personality who is helping “the US Military to get back to restoring the warrior ethos”. He has previously supported Trump’s executive order, which mandates the discharge of all trans service members and prevents new trans troops from enlisting. Earlier this year, he ordered that the US Navy Ship Harvey Milk, named after the veteran and gay activist, be renamed. In May, he spoke about “leaving weakness and weakness behind”. 

    It is a violent reaction for a show that, at its bare bones, is based on someone’s personal experience, especially when the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy was repealed in 2011. Created by two veterans about one of the toughest branches in the military, the show aims to shed light on the experiences of gay veterans, which is apparently too much for the Pentagon to handle. Netflix has not commented on the situation at this point. Especially when the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy was repealed in 2011. Created by two veterans about one of the toughest branches in the military, the show aims to shed light on the experiences of gay veterans, which is apparently too much for the Pentagon to handle. Netflix has not commented on the situation at this point. 

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    Taylor Ford

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  • Inside Pete Hegseth’s “Soviet-Style” War on the Press

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    “None of Hegseth’s predecessors, nor any of his fellow Cabinet secretaries, are doing anything like this, and it’s embarrassing. President Trump deserves better,” said Ullyot, a Marine Corps veteran who also served as a deputy assistant to Trump. “Hegseth should drop the Soviet-style restrictions, reopen the briefing room, and follow the lead of President Trump and every other Cabinet secretary by engaging regularly, confidently, and conversationally with reporters of all stripes.”

    Critics include pro-Trump media personalities. “I’m MAGA, and I’m conservative, and I want this administration to succeed,” Gabrielle Cuccia told me. In May, she said, she was fired from her job as chief Pentagon correspondent at One America News after she criticized policies that restricted reporting on the department. She later explained that she had argued that the restrictions were “not based on any credible threat from the Pentagon media present every single day, but rather a growing desire to control how, and when, the public receives information.” She told me: “What does that say when we start to accept agreements in which a government is telling us what is approved to be spoken of and what’s not?”

    Critics include Fox News, one of the president’s favorite networks and Hegseth’s former employer, which joined every major news network, both cable and broadcast, in refusing to agree to the new rules. In a joint statement, Fox and other news organizations said the policy “threatens core journalistic protections.”

    “The policy was just unacceptable to folks,” said one Fox News editorial staffer. On the air, Bret Baier, Fox’s most prominent newsman, criticized the new rules in an interview with retired US Army general Jack Keane. Keane, a Fox analyst who worked in the Pentagon when Baier covered it as a correspondent, disputed the accuracy of Hegseth’s claims. “It doesn’t seem like the whole story is being told to our viewers here,” Keane told Baier. “What they’re really doing, they want to spoon-feed information to the journalists, and that will be their story. That’s not journalism.”

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    Aidan McLaughlin

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  • White House Cancels I-5 Closure Plans During Marine Corps Anniversary

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    The White House alters plans to shut down the I-5 for a military event at Camp Pendleton; The Freeway will remain open as ‘No Kings Day’ protests and the 250th anniversary of the Marine Corps are underway this weekend.

    This weekend, the White House intended to shut down part of the 5 Freeway between Los Angeles and San Diego due to a live fire demonstration for a military event happening at Camp Pendleton. However, after receiving concerned responses from local officials and residents, the 5 Freeway will now stay open during the event.

    In a news release from the same day, the U.S Marines confirmed, “All training events will occur on approved training ranges and comport with established safety protocols. No public highways or transportation routes will be closed.”

    The military event is scheduled for this Saturday, which marks the 250th anniversary of the Marine Corps. The event is set to feature a live-fire and amphibious assault demonstration, which could include firing missiles over the Freeway and onto Camp Pendleton. It is also reported that Navy ships will fire missiles around the coast of the base.

    Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, and other military leaders are set to attend the event, which has been titled “America’s Marines 250: Sea to Shore – A Review of Amphibious Strength”.

    Christopher Clark, a spokesperson for Caltrans, told SFGATE they were “informed of potential plans” to close the highway and “cautioned against it.”

    Governor Gavin Newsom addressed plans to close I-5 with a post on X on October 15th, writing, “Donald Trump and JD Vance think that shutting down the I-5 to shoot out missiles from ships is how you respect the military. PUT ASIDE YOUR VANITY PARADE AND PAY OUR TROOPS INSTEAD.

    If road closures had happened, they would likely result in extreme congestion from Dana Point to past Del Mar. The road services over 80,000 travelers, who would all have to find alternate routes of up to 30 additional miles.

    Scroll to continue reading

    Following the Marine Corps’ announcement that I-5 would remain open, Governor Newsom’s press office responded on X, writing: “We’re relieved the White House backed off its plans to shut down a major interstate. Now that I-5 will stay open, we hope the Trump Administration applies that same common sense to reopening the federal government!”

    The Marine Corps anniversary comes amid the ongoing government shutdown, as thousands of federal workers are working without pay as lawmakers scramble to find a solution. On Wednesday, a ninth attempt at voting to fund the government ended unsuccessfully, leading into the third week of nationwide shutdowns.

    Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Leader of the U.S House of Representatives, said, “We are ready, willing to negotiate a bipartisan spending agreement that actually meets the needs of the American people.”

    Air traffic controller Peter Lefevre said about the shutdown, “Not knowing how I’m going to have child care for my kids, put gas in the car or pay the next mortgage payment, adds a certain level of stress to an already stressful profession.”

    The spectacular event is the latest in a series of costly military investments made by the administration at the expense of taxpayers. While the military continues to see significant budget increases, Federal workers, active duty members and American citizens are facing budget cuts and economic hardship. All the while, the government remains at a standstill over the future of its funding.

    The event at Camp Pendleton coincides with another round of ‘No Kings Day’ protests scheduled for this weekend. Upcoming demonstrations are expected to bring out millions of citizens across the country who oppose the current administration.

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    Natalia Oprzadek

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  • SOUTHCOM commander announces sudden retirement amid Trump drug war in Caribbean

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    NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

    The commander of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), whose area of operations includes the Caribbean waters where the strikes against the alleged drug boats have been conducted, announced he is retiring suddenly by the end of the year. 

    Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey, who became the commander of SOUTHCOM in November 2024, announced Thursday that he would retire from the Navy in December. No reason for his abrupt departure was provided. 

    “The SOUTHCOM team has made lasting contributions to the defense of our nation, and will continue to do so,” Holsey said in a statement SOUTHCOM shared on social media. “I am confident that you will forge ahead, focused on your mission that strengthens our nation and ensures its longevity as a beacon of freedom around the globe.” 

    The New York Times first reported that Holsey was departing his post. 

    Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth commended Holsey for his service, and wished Holsey and his family continued success. 

    “Throughout his career—from commanding helicopter squadrons to leading Carrier Strike Group One and standing up the International Maritime Security Construct—Admiral Holsey has demonstrated unwavering commitment to mission, people, and nation,” Hegseth said in a post on social media on Thursday. “His tenure as Military Deputy Commander and now Commander of United States Southern Command reflects a legacy of operational excellence and strategic vision.” 

    This is a breaking news story and will be updated. 

    Diana Stancy is a politics reporter with Fox News Digital covering the White House. 

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  • Plane Carrying Pete Hegseth Makes Emergency Landing

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    The plane carrying Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made an unscheduled stop in the UK on Wednesday due to a cracked windshield. Hegseth was traveling back to the U.S. after a meeting in Belgium with NATO defense officials.

    “On the way back to the United States from NATO’s Defense Ministers meeting, Secretary of War [sic] Hegseth’s plane made an unscheduled landing in the United Kingdom due to a crack in the aircraft windshield. The plane landed based on standard procedures and everyone onboard, including Secretary Hegseth, is safe,” Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell wrote on X.

    The Boeing C-32 made an emergency landing at Royal Air Force Mildenhall after the crack was found over southern Ireland, according to Bloomberg. The plane quickly descended to 10,000 feet when the crack was discovered, which is done in these situations over fears that the cabin will become depressurized.

    The plane carrying Hegseth is a modified 757-200 passenger jet and is almost three decades old. As Bloomberg notes, the planes that carry cabinet members are often old and prone to breakdowns. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had to make a similar emergency landing back in February.

    Hegseth, the most unqualified Secretary of Defense to ever serve in the position, tweeted about the incident with just six short words: “All good. Thank God. Continue mission!” 

    Hegseth has attempted to purge the U.S. military of anyone who isn’t a white man, insisting that the Pentagon had been focused too much on DEI, a term he uses to denigrate women and racial minorities. But Hegseth has shown himself time and again to be incredibly incompetent, most notoriously when he was sharing highly sensitive information on a group Signal chat that included the editor-in-chief of the Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg.

    Hegseth survived that incident, as Trump values loyalty over competence. But he’s continued to prove himself a wildly paranoid and impulsive leader, firing not just military leaders he doesn’t like, but the very people he initially hired to supposedly reform the Pentagon. Reports from inside the Pentagon suggest Hegseth is obsessed with leaks and whether people close to him may be leaking to the press.

    The Defense Secretary has also demanded that journalists at the Pentagon sign a kind of loyalty pledge with restrictions on the type of materials that reporters can publish, something his former employer, Fox News, has even refused to do.

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    Matt Novak

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  • Commentary: I turned in my Pentagon credential — not my commitment – WTOP News

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    After 20 years of covering the U.S. military, WTOP National Security Correspondent J.J. Green turned in his Pentagon press pass after it enacted its new policy.

    After twenty years of covering the U.S. military, I turned in my Pentagon press credential today.

    My photo will soon come down from the wall outside the briefing room, where it’s hung among so many much more talented colleagues who’ve chronicled the story of American defense for decades.

    That’s all that changes; My commitment to covering the men and women of the U.S. military and the institution they serve remains exactly the same.

    The Pentagon has introduced a new policy requiring journalists to sign a memo warning that press credentials can be revoked for “soliciting” even unclassified information that hasn’t been officially cleared for release.

    The 17-page document also restricts reporters’ movements inside the building and bars them from holding or obtaining “unauthorized material.” Those who choose not to sign will lose their credentials.

    I declined.

    That decision wasn’t an act of protest. It was an act of principle. For two decades, my work has depended on trust, accuracy and respect. I’ve never asked anyone to reveal classified information, and no one has ever offered it. What I have done is ask questions, sometimes hard ones. And I’ve listened carefully to those who serve.

    That’s how journalism works in a democracy. It’s how the public learns what its military is doing in its name.

    I first covered the military as an embedded reporter in 2005, a journey that took me from U.S. bases to Canada, Scotland, Romania, Turkey, Germany, Iraq, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Djibouti. Along the way, I met extraordinary people — soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and civilians who remain friends and trusted sources to this day. They taught me that transparency isn’t a threat to security, it’s a reflection of strength.

    Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. Robert P. Ashley, Jr., left, speaks with WTOP radio National Security Correspondent J.J. Green after the DIA Mentoring Summit, Jan. 17, 2019, at the DIA headquarters. (Courtesy Robert Kanizar/DVIDS)

    WTOP has trusted me to bring those stories home; stories about deployment struggles, family separations, post-combat reintegration and the quiet courage of service members whose names never make headlines. Those experiences, and those voices, are what keep me committed to this work — credential or not.

    It’s difficult to see veteran reporters, people who’ve walked those halls every day for decades suddenly told to sign or get out. The Pentagon has always represented, to me, not just power but the ideals behind it: accountability, integrity and public service. Walking those corridors reminded me that the building was designed not to keep people out, but to connect the American military to the citizens it serves.

    So yes, I’ll lose a photo on the wall. But I will continue to do what I’ve always done, which is ask questions, seek facts and tell the stories that matter.

    Access isn’t a badge, it’s a responsibility. And that responsibility doesn’t end at the Pentagon’s doors.

    I surrendered my credential, not my voice.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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    J.J. Green

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  • CBS News, other media outlets, won’t sign on to new Pentagon press restrictions

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    Reporters for multiple news outlets covering the Pentagon are preparing to turn in their press passes Wednesday, instead of agreeing to a new set of policies the association representing them says “on their face, appear to violate the First Amendment.”

    The five major broadcast networks released a joint statement Tuesday, saying, “Today, we join virtually every other news organization in declining to agree to the Pentagon’s new requirements, which would restrict journalists’ ability to keep the nation and the world informed of important national security issues.” 

    “The policy is without precedent and threatens core journalistic protections. We will continue to cover the U.S. military as each of our organizations has done for many decades, upholding the principles of a free and independent press,” the networks said.

    CBS News is among an array of media organizations — including Newsmax, The New York Times, The Washington Post and Fox News, which previously employed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as an on-air host — that say they will not sign the new Pentagon restrictions. 

    The Defense Department sent reporters a memo in September mandating they sign an agreement acknowledging they would need formal authorization to publish either classified or controlled unclassified information. The department said in the memo that “information must be approved before public release … even if it is unclassified.” 

    Journalists covering the Pentagon were instructed to sign the agreement by 5 p.m. Tuesday. CBS News national security correspondent David Martin said, “Walking the halls of the Pentagon was my M.O. for 40 years. I don’t know how else to cover a story except by being there.” 

    “Seeing and talking to the people you are reporting on is about as fundamental as it gets. During COVID, I tried not coming into the Pentagon but gave up after a couple days of feeling out of touch,” Martin said. “Did I find out stuff in the hallways that the people who ran the Pentagon didn’t want me to know? Of course I did. That’s what I was there for. That’s what’s being shut down.”

    The Pentagon Press Association decried the new policy in a statement on Monday.

    “When Secretary Hegseth came into office, Pentagon officials pledged to make this ‘the most transparent Department of Defense in history.’ Since then, we have seen an inordinate amount of time spent systematically limiting access to information about the U.S. military — information vital to members of the military, their families, all American taxpayers, and the general public,” the association said.

    Hegseth posted a goodbye emoji on X in response to announcements by the Atlantic, the New York Times and the Washington Post that their reporters would not agree to the new policies. 

    At least one outlet has agreed to the new restrictions, the One America News Network, the company’s president confirmed in an email to CBS News.

    “After thorough review of the REVISED press policy by our attorney, OAN staff has signed the document,” said Charles Herring. 

    News organizations including CBS News are currently assigned workspaces and credentials that allow journalists limited access in the Pentagon. The new plan also involves moving news organizations to alternative workspaces.

    CBS News reporter and producer Eleanor Watson, who covers the Pentagon, said that plan would hamper news outlets’ ability to quickly get important information to the public.

    “One of the reasons we’re in the hallway clearly marked the ‘correspondents corridor’ is to be near the public affairs office and press briefing room to communicate information about the world quickly,” Watson said. “Evicting us will slow that down, but it won’t stop our sourcing and reporting.”

    The new policy would mean that journalists would not be able to use unnamed U.S. military sources in much of their reporting, without risking loss of access to the Pentagon. 

    “Our members did nothing to create this disturbing situation,” the Pentagon Press Association said. “It arises from an entirely one-sided move by Pentagon officials apparently intent upon cutting the American public off from information they do not control and pre-approve — information concerning such issues as sexual assault in the military, conflicts of interest, corruption, or waste and fraud in billion-dollar programs.”

    Journalists who work there also point out that they do not have unhindered access to the Pentagon even now, with many parts of the vast complex off limits.

    Watson said CBS News will continue to report on the Pentagon even if it loses access to the building.

    “There is value in us being here for our reporting and for the public interest. We will continue to report and shed light on the Defense Department even after our camera here goes dark,” Watson said.

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