Pete Hegseth

July 3, 2025 10:26 AM

India, US to sign new 10-year Defence Framework this year

India and the United States have agreed to sign a new 10-year US-India Defence Framework by the end of this year, US Senior Defence Spokesperson Colonel Chris Devine has said. According to a statement from the Pentagon, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth and India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh agreed during a phone conversation on Tuesday to finalise and sign the new framework when they meet later this year. In a post on X, Rajnath Singh said, “Glad to speak with the US Secretary of D...

July 2, 2025 10:58 PM

US gives India priority as key South Asia defence partner: Pete Hegseth

The US gives India priority as its “key defence partner in South Asia”, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has affirmed to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, according to Pentagon spokesperson Colonel Chris Devine. “When he spoke to Rajnath Singh on Tuesday, Hegseth emphasised the priority the US places on India as its key defence partner in South Asia,” Devine said. He pointed out that both leaders reviewed the considerable progress the two countries have made toward achieving the defence go...

June 27, 2025 9:56 AM

No known intelligence that Iran moved uranium, US defence chief says

U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday said he was unaware of any intelligence suggesting Iran had moved any of its highly enriched uranium to shield it from U.S. strikes, amid continuing questions about the state of Iran's nuclear program. U.S. military bombers carried out strikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities early Sunday local time using more than a dozen 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs. The results of the strikes are being closely watched to see how far they may have s...

May 6, 2025 3:02 PM

US Defense Secretary Hegseth to slash senior-most ranks of military

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday ordered a 20% reduction in the number of four-star officers, deepening cuts at the Pentagon that have shaken the Department of Defense at the start of President Donald Trump’s second term in office. Hegseth has long been vocal about how he views the senior-most ranks of the military as too big. The former Fox News host has moved with stunning speed to reshape the department, firing top generals and admirals as he seeks to implement Trump’s nati...

February 14, 2025 5:31 PM

Hegseth tells Europe to spend on defence as US presence may not last forever

European countries need to invest now in defence because it is not possible to assume that the United States' presence on the continent will last forever, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Friday during a visit to Warsaw. Pointing to Poland, which plans to spend 4.7% of GDP on defence this year, as a model ally, Hegseth doubled down on Washington's demands that European NATO allies take on more of the financial burden for their own security. "What happens five or 10 or 15 years from ...

February 6, 2025 11:00 PM

Rajnath Singh and Hegseth explore ways to deepen defence ties ahead of PM Modi’s US visit

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday spoke with US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth over the phone, congratulating him on his confirmation and discussing ways to deepen further the India-US bilateral defence partnership. "Had an excellent telephonic conversation with my US counterpart Mr Pete Hegseth today. Congratulated him on his confirmation as the new Secretary of Defence on 25th January 2025. We reviewed the ongoing defence cooperation and explored ways and means to expand and deepe...

November 14, 2024 9:30 AM

Trump taps loyalists Matt Gaetz, Tulsi Gabbard, Pete Hegseth for top jobs despite limited qualifications

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump chose loyalists with little experience for several key cabinet positions on Wednesday, stunning some allies and making clear that he is serious about reshaping - and in some cases testing - America's institutions. Trump's choice of congressman Matt Gaetz, 42, for U.S. attorney general, America's top law enforcement officer, was a surprising pick. The former attorney has never worked in the Justice Department, or as a prosecutor, and was investigated by the Ju...