Also known as: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth · Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth · Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth · US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth · US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth
US Defence Secretary who criticized European migration policy during D-Day commemorations in Normandy.
… Earlier this year, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the addition of Grok to GenAI.mil, the military’s unclassified hub for the use of AI models. …
… US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth later said the cancellation was “a temporary delay” of the planned deployment and the US will continue to ensure it “retains a strong military presence” in Poland. …
… Elon Musk stepped off the plane ahead of senior officials including Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer – on a trip heavily focused on trade. …
… Elon Musk stepped off the presidential aircraft ahead of senior cabinet officials, including Pete Hegseth, Marco Rubio and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer – on a trip that was always going to be defined by trade. …
… Earlier this month and just days after Merz’s initial comments, the US defence department announced a plan to withdraw 5,000 troops form Germany – an order which has been attributed to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. …
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the US effort to guide vessels out of the Strait of Hormuz is temporary, and “separate and distinct” from ongoing military operations in the region, one day after the US military began operations to guide ships in the waterway. …
Anthropic has suspended its Claude Fable 5 AI model following US government orders citing security concerns, including a potential method for bypassing restrictions; the company said authorities had not identified specific vulnerabilities but acknowledged a demonstrated jailbreaking technique affecting minor, previously known issues.
Anthropic has suspended its Claude Fable 5 AI model following US government orders citing security concerns, including a potential method for bypassing restrictions; the company said authorities had not identified specific vulnerabilities but acknowledged a demonstrated jailbreaking technique affecting minor, previously known issues.
The US and Iran exchanged strikes for a second consecutive day, straining a ceasefire agreed in April. The US conducted "self-defence strikes" targeting Iranian military and radar sites; Iran responded with ballistic missiles at US assets in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan, with Iran's foreign ministry saying the ceasefire is now "practically meaningless."
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps says it struck ships in the Strait of Hormuz after US Central Command launched new strikes on Iranian military sites. The escalation comes amid a fragile ceasefire agreed in April, with both sides accusing the other of aggression and undermining diplomatic efforts.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth criticised European nations for what he called an "invasion" by migrants arriving on shores in Spain, Italy, Greece and Bulgaria, speaking during D-Day anniversary commemorations in Normandy. Hegseth's remarks reflect the Trump administration's emphasis on immigration crackdowns.
During a speech in Normandy marking the 82nd anniversary of D-Day, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth criticized European nations for what he called an "invasion" of migrants arriving on their beaches in Spain, Italy, Greece and Bulgaria, arguing that European capitals must act on the issue. His comments follow similar criticism from US Vice-President JD Vance regarding migration-related crime in Britain.
Anthropic, the company behind chatbot Claude, has filed confidential paperwork with the US Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering this year, with a recently private valuation exceeding $965 billion. The move tests investor appetite for AI firms' valuations amid similar plans by SpaceX and reported consideration by rival OpenAI.
U.S. crude futures rose 2.71% to $89.73 a barrel and Brent futures rose 2.37% to $93.28 a barrel after Israel ordered troops further into Lebanon in fighting with Hezbollah, despite a ceasefire announced more than six weeks ago. The escalation dimmed expectations for a U.S.-Iran ceasefire extension and raised concerns about mines in the Strait of Hormuz shipping lane.
President Trump has requested edits to a proposed US-Iran deal involving the Strait of Hormuz and uranium removal, as negotiations continue toward a ceasefire framework that would include a 60-day halt to violence and potential sanctions relief to Iran.
The US, UK, and Australia will develop uncrewed undersea vehicle technology to protect undersea cables and boost defence under their Aukus military alliance, with the UK contributing £150m and the technology expected to be ready by next year.
US President Donald Trump met with top aides on Friday to decide on a framework for extending the ceasefire with Iran, but the meeting concluded without clarity on next steps. Trump reiterated conditions that Iran must never possess nuclear weapons, the Strait of Hormuz must be reopened for unrestricted shipping, and any mines there must be destroyed.
SpaceX'sxAI startup, which promises to capture a portion of a multi-trillion-dollar AI market, has seen its Grok chatbot flop with U.S. government customers. Federal inventory records show only three instances of xAI or Grok use among over 400 publicly identified government AI deployments, compared to 234 involving OpenAI's models, 33 involving Alphabet products, and 26 involving Anthropic's Claude.
President Donald Trump announced the US will send an additional 5,000 troops to Poland, citing his relationship with Polish President Karol Nawrocki, a week after the Pentagon had cancelled a planned deployment of 4,000 troops. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte welcomed the move, though the White House has signalled it intends to reduce overall troop levels in Europe as part of its "America First" agenda.
US President Trump visited Beijing with a business delegation and said he struck "fantastic trade deals" with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, though the two-day summit produced warm rhetoric more than concrete agreements. Trump said China agreed to order 200 Boeing planes, but Beijing did not confirm major purchases.
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks for over two hours in Beijing, with the White House calling the meeting "highly productive," though no sweeping trade breakthrough or major business agreements emerged. Xi warned that if US-China relations are mishandled, the two nations could collide or come into conflict.
Germany's finance minister Lars Klingbeil has attributed a €70bn downgrade in projected tax revenues for 2026-2030 to Donald Trump's "irresponsible war in Iran," which he said caused a "global energy shock" harming the German economy.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the US-Iran ceasefire remains in effect despite escalating military operations in the Strait of Hormuz, where the US is now guiding vessels. Iran has attacked US forces more than 10 times since the ceasefire began in early April, and launched missile and drone attacks on the UAE, with tensions rising over shipping security and oil prices increasing sharply.
President Trump announced on Tuesday that "Project Freedom," a US operation to guide vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, would be paused for a short period by mutual agreement with Iran as progress is being made toward a deal. Iranian media characterized the pause as a Trump retreat, while US officials indicated the pause was requested by Pakistan acting as an intermediary.
The US is withdrawing 5,000 troops from Germany, and President Trump said more cuts would follow, without providing details. Germany's defence minister called the withdrawal "foreseeable" while stressing that American military presence in Europe serves both German and US interests, and NATO is seeking clarification from Washington on the decision.
Germany's defence minister Boris Pistorius said the US decision to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany was "foreseeable," while Nato seeks clarification from Washington. President Trump indicated further cuts may follow, citing concerns about German criticism of US negotiations with Iran.
The US Department of Defence plans to withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany following a dispute between President Trump and German Chancellor Merz over the war with Iran. The withdrawal, to be completed within six to twelve months, comes after Trump criticized Merz and suggested pulling troops from other Nato allies including Italy and Spain.
President Trump told Congress that US hostilities with Iran have "terminated" due to an ongoing ceasefire, arguing he did not need lawmakers' authorisation for the conflict. Despite the ceasefire, the US and Iran have not reached a longer-term deal, though Iranian media reported a new negotiation proposal sent via Pakistan on Friday.
A senior Trump administration official said on Thursday that a U.S.-Iran ceasefire begun in early April has "terminated" hostilities for the purposes of the War Powers Resolution, which required the president to notify Congress by Friday of plans to continue military action or seek a 30-day extension.
Donald Trump was evacuated from the White House Correspondents' Association dinner at the Washington Hilton on Saturday evening after gunshots were heard inside the venue. Attendees took cover under tables while Secret Service responded.