Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Holds Media Availability in Honolulu, Hawaii

View Online Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Holds Media Availability in Honolulu, Hawaii March 26, 2025 SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PETE HEGSETH: Good evening, everybody. Just a great day. Any day you're forward deployed with the troops as the secretary of defense is a good day. And what we got to see here, starting with PT with Navy SEALs in the morning, which has turned into smoke the SecDef more than it has PT, the opportunity to see what the Marines are doing here, incredible stuff. Training space jungle school for the Army, the Air Force capabilities, Space Force capabilities, naval lift, it's all here. And it's all a reflection of America's commitment to the Indo-Pacific and the Trump administration's focus on ensuring that we are doing everything we can to deter conflict with the communist Chinese, who we don't seek conflict with at all. But we will stand strong in deterrence and will posture troops forward. That's why we're going out to Guam, to see our friends in Japan and the Philippines. We're posturing forward, talking and meeting with commanders who have the capabilities and understand the AOR, talking to friends and allies. And in that, it doesn't get any better than watching troops in action, which is a humbling and an honor for me. So, it's been a great day here, and we look forward to many more ahead on this trip as we institute, sort of live out, kind of showcase the pivot that President Trump is footing — putting toward the Indo-Pacific, making sure we're properly focusing and prioritizing where we should on peer adversaries to stand strong and reflect deterrence. Reestablishing deterrence is part of what President Trump has commanded me, compelled me to do in addition to restoring the warrior ethos and rebuilding our military. And reestablishing deterrence is a big part of why we're here. Happy to take a couple questions. Q: Yeah, Mr. Secretary. Thanks. First of all, thanks so much for having me on the trip. That — that helicopter ride was awesome. I'm sure my colleagues feel the same way. SECRETARY HEGSETH: Absolutely. Q: My question's on Taiwan. You mentioned deterrence. Admiral Paparo, in his speeches, has said that the exercises around Taiwan are not just exercises, but rehearsals for an attack. How concerned are you about China's ability and intent to try and retake the island by force? SECRETARY HEGSETH: Well, Admiral Paparo has said China's rehearsals could always — could potentially always be a rehearsal for an attack. The rehearsals, the exercises, the campaigns we're doing in and around the first island chain are not meant to be the precursor to an attack. We're here to deter. We're here to show strength with our allies. And that includes ensuring, that in every possible way, American first is projected forward. So, we don't want to see a conflict at all, and that's certainly the president's perspective. But we're going to be postured forward and leaning forward as much as necessary to ensure that doesn't happen. Q: And just a quick follow up. On the counter diversity/equity inclusions, what's your assessment now three months in in trying to undo a lot of those programs? SECRETARY HEGSETH: My assessment is the DOD will be merit based and colorblind. You will be judged based on how good you are at your job, full stop. That's it. And so, getting rid of diversity, equity and inclusion, DEI, getting rid of different standards was fundamental to getting back to basics. And that's what I — when I get a chance to talk to commanders here, that's what I emphasize. We're getting back to basics. Standards at every level need to be adhered to, and that's at a baseline. And when you talk to soldiers, you talk to Marines, they get it. They get it. They've seen the standards slide under the previous administration. They watched, you know, in — in many different ways how it eroded or quotas were being met or different aspects had to be — boxes had to be checked. Not anymore. The only box that gets checked in this Defense Department is lethality and your ability to do your job. Q: Mr. Secretary, the messages the White House called authentic did, at the very least, include sensitive details about targets and timing. Did you declassify that information before you put it in the chat? And are you using Signal to discuss operations as sensitive as the strikes against the Houthis on a government or a personal phone? SECRETARY HEGSETH: First, all I would say is the strikes against the Houthis that night were devastatingly effective, and I'm incredibly proud of the courage and skill of the troops. And they are ongoing and continue to be devastatingly effective. The last place I would want to be right now is a Houthi in Yemen who wants to disrupt freedom of navigation. So, the skill and courage of our troops is on full display. It's a complete opposite approach from the fecklessness of the Biden administration. President Trump said peace through strength will be brought back, freedom of navigation will return, and that's exactly what we're doing. As I also stated yesterday, nobody's texting war plans. And that's all I have to say about that. UNKNOWN: Kasu ? Q: Those same troops that — UNKNOWN: Kasu, you're up. Q: Those same troops that you are proud of. Do you — UNKNOWN: Kasu? UNKNOWN: Kasu? UNKNOWN: Kasu? Q: information like the ones you did in the Signal chat that could endanger those same American service members? SECRETARY HEGSETH: Nobody's texting war plans. UNKNOWN: Kasu, you're up. SECRETARY HEGSETH: I — I know exactly what I'm doing, exactly what we're directing. And I'm really proud of what we accomplished, successful missions that night and going forward. Q: So, you had a conversation with . So, how do you — SECRETARY HEGSETH: Say that again? Q: You had a conversation with senior officials of the Pentagon today and yesterday. How do you evaluate the importance of INDOPACOM? SECRETARY HEGSETH: Oh, INDOPACOM is critically important. And Admiral Paparo is a fighting admiral. He's a really smart guy who's exactly where we need, at the tip of the spear. INDOPACOM is where we need to be, where we need to be focusing. What you — what you will see in the interim National Defense Strategy from the DOD, we'll focus — make sure we're defending the homeland, including the homeland OCONUS here in Hawaii, and that we're postured to focus on the Indo-Pacific. So, it's critically important. UNKNOWN: One more. SECRETARY HEGSETH: Yes. Q: Thank you, sir. Earlier today at the POW/MIA Accounting Agency, you were taking a tour of the building and you were shown a wall of Medal of Honor recipients whose remains have been recovered over the years. I'm sure it was a very humbling experience. By sheer chance, one of those recipients that was pointed out to you was a Lieutenant Alexander Bonnyman Jr, a Marine who passed away some time ago, fought in World War II, I believe. You said, "Wait a minute. I know who that is." And it turns out that by just pure happenstance, you obviously went to Princeton and he also went to Princeton, and you remember studying him back when you were a student there. SECRETARY HEGSETH: Yes. Q: Can you tell us what that was like? And what a cool story. SECRETARY HEGSETH: It's a cool story. So, we were at the defense Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Agency, where they still commit to the legacy of those that we've lost on the battlefield, bringing them home, identifying the remains, and making sure the families have that closure. We leave nobody behind. I was looking at the wall. And in this one particular unit, there was a lieutenant who is a recipient of the Medal of Honor. And I looked up and it said Lieutenant Bonnyman. And I just thought, where have I heard that name before? And then I realized, at Princeton, there are stars outside some of the windows of the older buildings. And one of those is a window of a dorm I was in, maybe freshman, sophomore or junior year. And on that star was Lieutenant Bonnyman. I didn't know who he was. I remember researching, though, his name and that star, because I thought, if his name is outside my window, I was probably an ROTC cadet at that point, I want to know who he is. And so, they told me a little bit of the story there, and it — it rang a bell with me. I know I wrote something about him too when I was — I'll have to find that and maybe release it. But it was pretty cool to see the connection between someone who I'd heard of as a Medal of Honor recipient, and then the commitment of our country to then go find him in a foreign land and bring him back so that the whole cycle is sort of complete and the honor — he gets the honor that he deserves. It was pretty cool. And it was emblematic of this day today, like watching the troops in real time, and then watching the legacy of their service as well played out, all here in Hawaii. So, it's been great. UNKNOWN: All right. That's it. SECRETARY HEGSETH: Thank you all. Appreciate it. UNKNOWN: Thanks, everybody.

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