Pete Hegseth

President Donald Trump canceled a Pentagon plan to livestream the firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan, convicted of killing 13 people and wounding 32 at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009. The reversal followed bipartisan criticism from lawmakers, religious leaders, 72 retired military officers, the UN human rights office and about 80 percent of Americans in polling. Hasan's execution remains scheduled for December 3, 2026, at Fort Hood, and would be the first US military execution in more than 60 years. Victims' immediate families may attend in person.

51 reports · 9 sources · Updated Oct 16, 02:22 AM UTC

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told AUSA attendees at the Project Agincourt panel that the Pentagon is requesting roughly $50 billion in reconciliation funding to scale autonomous and robotic systems from thousands to millions of units. He described it as a one-time investment separate from the fiscal 2027 budget request, which includes $53.6 billion for the Drone Dominance initiative. Acting Army Secretary Adam Telle outlined broader access for non-traditional companies, expanded test ranges, and a 390A warrant officer robotics specialty. The Army's $1 billion Drone Dominance program aims to fund about 340,000 small unmanned aircraft systems over two years.

5 reports · 2 sources · Updated Oct 14, 10:06 PM UTC

The Pentagon announced that President Donald Trump approved the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, the former Army psychiatrist convicted in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting that killed 13 people and wounded 32 others, by firing squad on December 3. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the execution would be public and livestreamed, prompting bipartisan backlash in Congress. Lawmakers including Sen. Thom Tillis, Rep. Austin Scott, Rep. Adam Smith and Sen. Jack Reed condemned the plan, while some Republicans supported it. The execution would be the military's first in 65 years and the first public U.S. execution in 90 years.

6 reports · 3 sources · Updated Oct 12, 03:49 PM UTC

The Pentagon announced that Nidal Hasan, convicted of killing 13 people in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, will be executed by firing squad on December 3 at Fort Hood, Texas, and the execution will be livestreamed. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed the plan, saying the public must see serious consequences for such acts. President Donald Trump approved the execution, which would be the first U.S. military execution since 1961 and the first firing squad execution since World War II. The plan has drawn bipartisan criticism and international opposition.

36 reports · 6 sources · Updated Oct 12, 12:11 PM UTC

The USS Abraham Lincoln and its strike group returned to San Diego Bay after a deployment of more than 300 days, described by multiple outlets as one of the longest for a U.S. Navy carrier in recent years. Thousands gathered at Shelter Island for emotional reunions, including 122 sailors meeting children for the first time. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth greeted the ship near the end of the deployment, and the strike group received a Presidential Unit Citation. Some protesters raised concerns about ship conditions and the Iran War.

11 reports · 2 sources · Updated Oct 10, 11:17 AM UTC

President Donald Trump has approved the execution of former U.S. Army Major Nidal Hasan by firing squad for the 2009 Fort Hood mass shooting that killed 13 people and wounded over 30. The Pentagon confirmed the decision, marking the first U.S. military execution since 1961 and the first by firing squad since World War II. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recommended the action. The execution must occur between 60 and 150 days after approval, though it could still be halted.

8 reports · 5 sources · Updated Oct 6, 09:14 AM UTC

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Sept. 30 the creation of a new four-star combatant command dedicated to autonomous warfare, dubbed "Autowarcom," to accelerate the fielding of drones, AI, and robotic systems. Hegseth also named tech billionaires Elon Musk and Palmer Luckey, along with former Speaker Newt Gingrich, to a war commission studying future warfare. The Pentagon seeks to triple autonomous operations spending, proposing $74 billion for drone and anti-drone technologies.

9 reports · 4 sources · Updated Oct 2, 08:20 PM UTC

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on September 30, 2026, the creation of "Project Meridian," a 120-day study on future warfare co-led by Elon Musk, Palmer Luckey, and Newt Gingrich. Hegseth also established the Autonomous Warfare Command focused on AI, robotics, and drone capabilities. The project will examine technologies including artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and directed-energy lasers, with findings due by end of January 2027.

9 reports · 5 sources · Updated Oct 2, 01:40 AM UTC

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed a plan to reduce the number of general and admiral positions by 20%, deepening a previous 10% cut. The announcement was made during a speech at Marine Corps Base Quantico, where he also outlined six major initiatives and used derogatory language. The cuts target authorized billets, with implementation expected by January 1, 2027. The plan has drawn criticism from lawmakers, including Sen. Jack Reed, who said Congress was not consulted.

10 reports · 5 sources · Updated Oct 1, 08:30 PM UTC

A US federal appeals court upheld the Pentagon's blacklisting of AI company Anthropic from military contracts, ruling 2-1 that the Defense Department reasonably designated the company a national security supply chain risk after it refused to remove safety guardrails preventing its AI from being used in autonomous weapons or mass surveillance. The court found Anthropic's safety restrictions could compromise military operations. A separate California ruling struck down a parallel designation under a different law.

17 reports · 11 sources · Updated Sep 25, 08:04 PM UTC

President Donald Trump banned CNN, MSNBC, and Politico from the White House on September 18, 2026, accusing them of "fake news." Their press credentials were revoked and reporters denied entry. The outlets sued, citing First Amendment violations. On September 24, Judge Timothy Kelly issued a temporary restraining order restoring access for 14 days, finding the ban likely violated due process. The White House initially defied the order, barring reporters from a state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping, before eventually restoring access later that day.

184 reports · 14 sources · Updated Sep 25, 04:39 PM UTC

The U.S. war with Iran has cost the Pentagon at least $45.1 billion as of September 3, 2026, according to Pentagon notifications to Congress and a Congressional Budget Office report. The CBO estimates $38 billion in direct costs through July 2026, with $2-3 billion monthly if hostilities continue. The conflict has consumed between half and two-thirds of U.S. antimissile interceptor inventory since June 2025, requiring at least five years to rebuild. Costs exclude base repairs, casualties, and future veterans' care.

16 reports · 8 sources · Updated Sep 19, 10:23 AM UTC

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie introduced eight articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, accusing him of high crimes and misdemeanors for waging an unlawful war against Iran without congressional authorization, including a February strike on a school in Minab, Iran that killed 120 children and 36 civilians. Massie filed the resolution as privileged, forcing a House vote within two days. House GOP leadership then ended the legislative session early and adjourned until the midterms to avoid the vote.

12 reports · 5 sources · Updated Sep 16, 03:32 PM UTC

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed an agreement in Washington positioning Germany as an additional production hub for American defense equipment, including Patriot interceptors and Tomahawk cruise missiles. The pact aims to expand joint development, licensed manufacturing, and maintenance capacities to replenish depleted European and U.S. stockpiles. Germany’s MBDA already produces older PAC-2 interceptors and will begin making the latest PAC-3 MSE variant later this year.

6 reports · 4 sources · Updated Sep 16, 02:47 PM UTC

The Pentagon’s independent inspector general confirmed that the United States fired so many munitions at Iranian targets during the initial months of Operation Epic Fury that it caused strategic stockpile shortages and exposed industrial base bottlenecks for resupply. The report, covering operations through June 30, estimated munitions consumed at $22.3 billion and total war costs exceeding $33 billion. Equipment losses totaled $3.7 billion, including four F-15E jets, an F-35, and 30 MQ-9 drones. The findings directly contradict President Trump’s repeated claims that U.S. supplies are “virtually unlimited.”

5 reports · 4 sources · Updated Sep 15, 08:34 PM UTC

On the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used a Pentagon memorial ceremony to justify the ongoing U.S. war with Iran, calling Iran the world’s number one state sponsor of terror. Hegseth claimed Iran cheered on 9/11, a claim contradicted by Iran’s official condemnation. The war has killed 18 U.S. service members and up to 8,000 civilians, disrupted the global economy, and drawn criticism for conflating the 9/11 legacy with current military policy.

8 reports · 4 sources · Updated Sep 11, 09:20 PM UTC