‘We are American warriors’: Pete Hegseth gives troops their mission hours after being confirmed as Defense Secretary
‘We are American warriors’: Pete Hegseth gives troops their mission hours after being confirmed as Defense Secretary
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New defense secretary outlines top three goals: ‘Restoring the warrior ethos, rebuilding our military, and reestablishing deterrence’. Just hours after his confirmation as defense secretary on Friday night, Pete Hegseth issued his “message to the force” in a Pentagon press release.
![[“We are American warriors. We will defend our country. Our standards will be high, uncompromising, and clear. The strength of our military is our unity and our shared purpose,” Hegseth told the troops]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/25/20/SEI237313785.jpg)
He said it was the “privilege of a lifetime to lead the warriors of the Department of Defense,” and he urged his new subordinates to “put America first” and “never back down.”. The mission instruction from Commander-in-Chief Donald Trump is to “achieve peace through strength,” according to Hegseth.
“We will do this in three ways — by restoring the warrior ethos, rebuilding our military, and reestablishing deterrence,” the 44-year-old said in a release reminiscent of the opening statement at his confirmation hearing. Hegseth, who has been accused of excessive drinking, physical and verbal abuse, financial mismanagement and sexual assault - all allegations he denies - said he would work to “revive the warrior ethos and restore trust in our military.”.
“We are American warriors. We will defend our country. Our standards will be high, uncompromising, and clear. The strength of our military is our unity and our shared purpose,” he said. The rebuilding of the military will come by “matching threats and capabilities,” Hegseth said, pointing to the need to revive the defense industrial base, reform the acquisition process, pass a financial audit and field “emerging technologies.”.
