Pete Hegseth on National Guard Use, Nuclear Deterrence, and China's Military Posture

National Guard Deployment and Precedent

• 🛡️ Pete Hegseth defended the deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles, stating that the actions are not unprecedented in history.
• ⚖️ He argued that the unprecedented aspect is a governor and mayor being unwilling to protect law enforcement.
• 🏛️ Historical examples cited include Eisenhower sending the 101st to Little Rock and Johnson/Kennedy federalizing the guard over southern governors' objections.

Nuclear Modernization and Deterrence

• 🚀 Hegseth expressed gratitude to Congress for keeping the Slickman program alive, calling it a critical capability.
• 📈 The FY26 budget will see over a 1000% increase for the program, reflecting its importance in maintaining nuclear deterrence.
• 🔑 The program is seen as necessary to provide the president with an additional response option and strengthen deterrence with a non-strategic, non-air-delivered option.

China's Military Actions and Pacific Strategy

• ⚠️ General Kaine warned that the PLA's exercises around Taiwan are rehearsals for force unification, not just pressure campaigns.
• 🌏 There is a rising recognition among regional partners that China is a threat, necessitating a focus on the Pacific.
• 🎯 The DoD is working to scale combat capability with systems and effects that would prevent China from advancing its narrative and create simultaneous dilemmas for their decision-making.