Pete Hegseth on Rebuilding the Military, Border Security, and Striking Narco-Terrorists

Revitalizing the Department of Defense

• 🎖️ Recruiting and retention are at historic levels, with a renewed spirit in the ranks attributed to a shift away from DEI and political correctness towards merit-based principles.
• 🛠️ The focus is back on basics: accountability, training, readiness, and lethality, aiming to revive the military's spirit.
• 🚀 Historic investments are being made in next-generation capabilities like the Golden Dome and F-47 to ensure America's military remains the most powerful globally.

Restoring Deterrence and Credibility

• 📉 The administration is rebuilding deterrence following perceived debacles in Afghanistan, Hamas's October 7th attack, and the conflict in Ukraine, which they argue would not have started under President Trump.
• ✈️ Operations like Freedom of Navigation and striking the Houthis, along with undetected B2 missions to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear capabilities, are highlighted.
• 🇪🇺 Europe and NATO are stepping up to 5% defense spending, and efforts are underway to secure the southwest border with zero operational control.

Combating Narco-Terrorists and Illegal Drugs

• 🚢 The focus is on striking narco boats and narco-terrorists who are poisoning the American people, a stark contrast to the previous administration's approach.
• ⚠️ Drugs coming in by sea are reported to be down 91%, with a pause in strikes due to the difficulty in finding boats to target, underscoring the need for deterrence over a