In recent days, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has made significant waves within the Pentagon and across the military establishment, ushering in some of the most sweeping changes to armed forces leadership and organization in recent memory. As a former Fox News host and Army National Guard officer, Hegseth has sought to recast the role of defense secretary into a more high-profile, public-facing position, frequently using social media to emphasize the administration’s priorities, especially on cultural issues and border security. However, reports from inside the military indicate that many service members remain skeptical of this self-styled image, viewing the position as traditionally more removed from daily troop life.
The most consequential policy decisions from Hegseth’s office in the past week focus on a comprehensive transformation of the Army and a shift in broader defense strategy. A recent memo handed Army leaders a detailed and ambitious directive: field long-range precision weapons by 2027, deploy new unmanned systems and counter-drone technologies to divisions and platoons within the next two years, and begin the immediate replacement of outdated vehicles like the Humvee. Orders also include offloading legacy equipment, axing redundant or underperforming programs, and merging major Army organizations into a new, streamlined command structure. Performance-based contracting will be tested as a way to hold defense firms accountable for delays and unmet promises, while budgetary approaches will shift toward funding actual capabilities over specific programs. The Army’s top leadership has expressed support for this rapid pace of modernization, seeing it as an opportunity to accelerate long-awaited reforms.
Parallel to these changes, Hegseth has ordered the Pentagon to develop a new National Defense Strategy, due by August 31. This document will chart the department’s response to evolving global threats and reflect a marked turn toward the “America First” doctrine, indicating a potential reduction in the U.S. military’s international footprint and a stronger emphasis on domestic readiness. Early indications are that this strategy will also account for recent personnel cuts and the consolidation of military commands.
Another area garnering considerable attention is Hegseth’s overhaul of internal Pentagon policies around equal opportunity and harassment reporting. Under a new “no more walking on eggshells” policy, Hegseth signed a memo last week directing a review of diversity programs and investigation processes, promising faster and more impartial resolution of complaints. He has also dismissed an advisory board focused on women in the military and eliminated several women’s leadership programs. Some female service members have voiced concern that these reversals risk undoing hard-fought progress against hazing, harassment, and discrimination, warning that lower-ranking personnel, particularly women and minorities, may be disproportionately impacted by the new approach.
On the global stage, Hegseth has echoed administration calls for NATO allies to boost defense spending and has signaled a desire for European partners to take on greater responsibility for their own defense. He has also backed high-profile personnel appointments, including nominating an Air Force general for top European Command. Meanwhile, there are reports of ongoing and expanded investigations by the Pentagon inspector general into Hegseth’s handling of classified information on unsecured channels.
Altogether, Hegseth’s tenure as defense secretary is characterized by a push for rapid institutional change, a reorientation toward domestic priorities, and a willingness to embrace controversy in pursuit of what he describes as a leaner, more focused military. The impact of these decisions, and the response from within the ranks, will shape the Defense Department’s trajectory in the months to come.
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2025/05/153 分