Defense &
National Security
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Defense &
National Security
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Hegseth vows to surge manpower, resources to southern border
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday met with troops at the U.S. border with Mexico, where he pledged “100 percent operational control" of the area. |
Hegseth, who traveled with White House border czar Tom Homan in his first trip since taking office, first stopped at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, to meet with troops tasked with fortifying the southern border — a priority for the Pentagon under President Trump.
While there, Hegseth was briefed by U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command leaders on homeland defense and security priorities at the border, according to an update on the trip posted to X.
Speaking to reporters while on the ground, Hegseth pledged “100 percent operational control of the border,” with the surging of manpower and assets to the area.
“Any assets necessary at the Defense Department to support the expulsion and detention of those in the country illegally are on the table,” he said.
Since beginning his second term, Trump has declared a national emergency at the southern border and signed a slew of executive orders intended to crack down on immigration. As part of the effort, he has turned to the military to beef up security at the border, fly migrants out of the United States and house them at bases.
Trump has already ordered 1,500 active-duty troops to the border to survey the area and assist law enforcement with logistics and fencing, and Hegseth over the weekend approved another 500 to be sent. The additional troops, who will begin to make their way there this week, join the 2,500 service members who were already at the border prior to the new Trump administration, bringing the total force number to 4,500.
Hegseth said that the thousands of extra troops will help free up overwhelmed Customs and Border Protection agents who are there to fight an “invasion.”
Read the full report at TheHill.com. |
Welcome to The Hill’s Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. |
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How policy will affect defense and national security now and in
the future: |
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President Trump indicated Monday he wants a deal for rare earth elements and other items from Ukraine in exchange for continued military aid in the nation’s war against Russia. “We’re handing them money hand over fist. We’re giving them equipment,” Trump said Monday. “We’re looking to do a deal with Ukraine, where they’re going to secure what we’re giving them with their rare earth and other … |
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday touched down in Texas en route to the U.S. border with Mexico, his first trip since taking office. Hegseth, who traveled with White House border czar Tom Homan, first stopped at Fort Bliss in El Paso to meet with troops tasked with fortifying the southern border — a priority for the Pentagon under President Trump. “Looking forward to meeting our great warriors and seeing the hard work … |
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Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s goal to get “woke” civilian professors out of military academies and replace them with military personnel would be a tall order. Experts note that recruiting problems are top of mind at the Pentagon, casting doubt on pulling more military personnel into the academies. “We need more uniformed members going back into West Point, the Air Force Academy, the Naval Academy as a tour to teach … |
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The U.S. Army on Saturday identified the third soldier who died last week during a training mission that ended in a midair crash between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet near Reagan Washington National Airport. At the request of the family, the Army named Capt. Rebecca Lobach, of Durham, N.C., as the third soldier. She had served as an aviation officer since July 2019 and received several … |
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Upcoming things we're watching on our beat: |
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio is in Central America until Thursday in a trip that includes stops in Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic.
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Branch out with a different read from The Hill: |
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GOP’s Susan Collins to back Tulsi Gabbard confirmation |
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) announced Monday that she will support Tulsi Gabbard to become director of national intelligence (DNI), giving her a key boost in her confirmation push. Collins was considered a crucial swing vote on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is set to meet Tuesday … |
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Events in and around the defense world: |
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The Center for Strategic and International Studies will hold a discussion on “North Korean Troops in Russia: Comrades in Arms or Cannon Fodder?” at 11 a.m.
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The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft will host a conversation on “Europe and the Trump Administration,” at 12 p.m.
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News we've flagged from other outlets: |
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National security, veterans at risk in Trump effort to reshape federal workforce, experts warn (Military.com)
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Texas National Guard to make immigration arrests under agreement with Trump administration, Abbott says (The Texas Tribune)
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VA will end remote work status for thousands of staffers this month (Military Times)
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Two key stories on The Hill right now: |
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President Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau agreed to a pause in implementing tariffs for at least a month, just hours after Trump agreed … Read more |
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A group of Senate and House Democrats were blocked from entering the headquarters of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) on Monday. … Read more |
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Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: |
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You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! |
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Thomas D. Homan, President Trump’s border czar, toured areas near Mexico.
The New York Times - 1h
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with U.S. troops along the Southern border in New Mexico. The deployment of additional troops to the border was part of President Trump's crackdown on ...
NBC News - 3h
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the U.S.-Mexico border for the first time since taking office. “Any assets necessary, at the Defense Department, to support the expulsion and detention of ...
NBC News - 4h
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Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is visiting troops at the U.S.-Mexico border as the Trump administration bolsters security efforts there. CBS News' Ellee Watson reports.
CBS News - 7h
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday touched down in Texas enroute to the U.S. border with Mexico, his first trip since taking office. Hegseth, who traveled with White House border czar Tom ...
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