Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth arrived Monday for his first full day leading the Pentagon, pledging to support President Trump’s priorities to seal the U.S. border with Mexico, use military aircraft to deport undocumented migrants and increase combat readiness. of the military.
Last week, the Pentagon rushed 1,500 active-duty Marines and Army soldiers to the southwest border, joining 2,500 troops already there, and Mr. Hegseth predicted more forces would be on the way soon.
“Whatever is needed at the border will be provided,” Hegseth told reporters after he got out of his car at the Pentagon. “This is a change. It’s not the way business has been done in the past.”
He added that the Department of Defense supported “the defense of the territorial integrity of the United States of America on the southern border, to include the National Guard Reserves and active duty, in accordance with the Constitution, the Laws of our Land and the Directives of the Directives of the Directives of the Directives commander.”
Mr. Hegseth also said the Pentagon will “absolutely continue” to use military aircraft to deport undocumented migrants from the United States. Military participation in these flights began last week; In the past, they had been carried out by commercial and charter flights.
On Sunday, under threats from Mr. Trump that included steep tariffs, President Gustavo Petro of Colombia relented and agreed to allow US military planes to fly deportees into the country, after returning two transports in response to what Mr. Petro called inhumane treatment.
Mr. Hegseth was met at the Pentagon’s river entrance around 9 a.m. Monday by Gen. C.Q. Brown Jr., the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. Mr. Hegseth has suggested that General Brown, a four-star fighter pilot with decades of military experience, should be fired. But when asked if he would do that, Mr. Hegseth patted General Brown on the shoulder. “We are in capable hands,” he said.
“Our job is lethality and readiness and fight readiness,” said Hegseth, who has promised to bring a “warrior spirit” to the U.S. military but has not yet provided details. “We’re going to hold people accountable.”
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