Pete Hegseth: “We’re going to cut our hair, shave, shave our beards and adhere to standards.”

It is a day and night difference. Training, lethality, accountability, discipline, readiness — the bedrock of what it means to be an American warrior — is the only focus of our department. Colorblind, gender-neutral, merit-based. That’s it.

I honored the Iowa soldiers killed in Kuwait, while saying the U.S.-Iran conflict was necessary to keep Americans safe.

Without extra money from Congress, the department would face critical shortfalls that threaten our ability to pay our service members, rapidly replenish equipment and munitions, and sustain vital operations without disruption.

That’s why we haven’t been trying to remake Iranian society, but simply in the realist America First way, ensure they never have a path to a nuclear bomb, full stop.