Pete Hegseth used to be sworn in as defense secretary Saturday morning, pointing out it an “honor of a life-time,” and he promised to position The us first by means of bringing peace via energy.
Hegseth, 44, a former Minnesota Nationwide Guard officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, secured the position to steer the Pentagon following weeks of intense political drama surrounding his nomination and public scrutiny into his non-public existence.
“All reward and glory to God. His might be accomplished and we are thankful to be right here,” an ecstatic Hegseth stated after taking the oath of place of work, surrounded by means of his spouse Jenny and kids.
Pete Hegseth is surrounded by means of his spouse Jennifer Rauchet and his seven kids as he’s sworn in as secretary of protection by means of Vice President JD Vance on the Eisenhower Government Place of job Development on the White Space in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 25, 2025. (Roberto Schmidt/AFP)
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“And as I stated in my listening to, it used to be Jesus and Jenny. I’d now not be right here with out you, sweetheart. Thanks such a lot.”
“I wish to thank the President of america, our commander-in-chief, Donald Trump. Shall we now not have a greater commander-in-chief than him. It’s the honor of a life-time, sir, to serve underneath you. We sit up for having the backs of our troops and having your again in executing peace via energy, in placing The us first and in rebuilding our army.”
Hegseth, a former Fox Information host, additionally thanked Vice President JD Vance, who oversaw the swearing-in rite and whose deciding vote on Friday were given his nomination over the road.
The Senate used to be deadlocked at 50-50 with 3 Republicans — Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. — becoming a member of the Democrats in opposing Hegseth’s affirmation.
The stalemate compelled Vance to forged the tie-breaking vote, securing his affirmation.
“It is not the primary time the headline reads, ‘Junior enlisted marine bails out junior Military officer,'” Hegseth joked to laughter from attendees.
Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth embraces his kids after being sworn into place of work.
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Vance, the primary vp to have served as a Marine, used to be a struggle correspondent from 2003 to 2007, together with a excursion in Iraq, prior to transitioning to civilian existence and attending Ohio State College.
Trump congratulated Hegseth on Reality Social on Friday and stated he “will make an excellent” protection secretary. Different Republicans praised his affirmation, predicting he’s going to carry transformative alternate to the Pentagon.
Hegseth went directly to reward veterans and people who served along him up to now, in addition to the 1.3 million active-duty provider participants and the just about 1 million civilians who paintings for the army which he now leads.
“The very first thing that is going via my head are the fellows that I served with at the battlefield, the women and men who I locked shields with, who put my existence at the line with, who by no means get the highlight, who by no means had the cameras, who folks have no idea what they did in darkish and perilous puts,” Hegseth stated.
“On the Pentagon, we are going to take into accout, and we are going to take into consideration the ones warriors with each and every unmarried choice that we make.”
“We will be able to put The us first. We will be able to carry peace via energy.”
He defined 3 ideas that he stated he’s going to carry to the Pentagon.
“Repair the warrior ethos in the whole thing that we do, rebuild our army and reestablish deterrence. We do not wish to combat wars, we wish to deter them,” Hegseth stated.
Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth testifies all the way through his Senate Armed Services and products affirmation listening to on Capitol Hill on Jan. 14 in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Photographs)
“We wish to finish them responsibly but when we wish to combat them, we are going to carry overwhelming and decisive drive to near with and ruin the enemy and convey our boys house. And to my different circle of relatives that is right here as neatly, who I really like, it is the honor of a life-time.”
In a while after he used to be sworn in, Hegseth launched a commentary by way of the protection division web page addressing participants of the Pentagon. The commentary addressed his 3 ideas.
“All of this might be accomplished with a focal point on lethality, meritocracy, responsibility, requirements and readiness,” the commentary reads.
“I’ve dedicated my existence to warfighters and their households. Simply as my fellow squaddies had my again at the battlefield, know that I can all the time have your again. We serve in combination at a deadly time. Our enemies will neither leisure nor relent. And neither do we. We will be able to stand shoulder to shoulder to satisfy the urgency of this second.”
“Like each and every of you, I really like my nation and swore an oath to protect the Charter. We will be able to do this each and every and each day, as one crew. In combination, we will be able to accomplish the President’s challenge to discourage warfare and, if important, defeat and ruin our enemies. Godspeed!”
Fox Information’ Landon Mion contributed to this document.
