Defense Dept will support 'territorial integrity' of the US at the border: Pete Hegseth

On Monday morning, Pete Hegseth, who was confirmed as Secretary of Defense on Friday night, arrived at the Pentagon for his first day in his new role. He told reporters outside that the Defense Department will "support the defense of the territorial integrity of the United States of America at the southern border."

Hegseth was asked whether additional troops would be sent to the border as the Trump administration cracks down on illegal immigration, to which he replied, "Whatever’s needed at the border will be provided," including the possibility of state active-duty personnel being sent.

"This is not the way business has been done in the past. This is — the Defense Department will support the defense of the territorial integrity of the United States of America at the southern border, to include reservist National Guard and active duty in compliance with the Constitution to the laws of our land and the directives of the Commander in Chief."

Hegseth said that military training under his leadership will be "focused on the readiness of what our troops in the field need to deter our enemies."

He said he "fully" supports new executive orders set to be coming from Trump on "removing DEI inside the Pentagon, reinstating troops who were pushed out because of Covid mandates, iron dome for America. This is happening quickly, and as the Secretary of Defense it’s an honor to salute smartly as I did as a junior officer and now as the Secretary of Defense to ensure these orders are complied with rapidly and quickly."

In his first week in office, President Trump ordered the deployment of additional active-duty troops to the southern border to assist with strengthening border security. Encounters at the border have dropped since Trump took office and began cracking down on the rampant illegal immigration that ensued under the Biden administration.