List of U.S. Secretary of Defense articles
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Flames and smoke billow from buildings during mass Russian drone and missile strikes in Kyiv on July 4. It’s Official: America Can’t Be Trusted
Flip-flops, uncertainty, and the Pentagon’s freelancing on weapons aid leave Ukraine and European allies in the lurch.
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People watch a screen that shows Pete Hegseth speaking. Hegseth Fails to Reassure Asian Allies at Shangri-La
Confrontational rhetoric combined with uncertain commitments raise fears of abandonment in Southeast Asia.
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U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth looks to the side. The Pentagon Is Ignoring Its Own Strategy
Instead of focusing on Asia, the U.S. Defense Department is spreading itself thin.
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Hegseth dressed in a blue suit with a red tie sits in front of a table with a microphone in a Senate room. Sen. Duckworth Says Hegseth Is Trump’s ‘Least Qualified’ Cabinet Pick
Pete Hegseth’s inexperience could put troops’ lives in danger, warned the combat veteran who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
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Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump arrives to speak during an election night event at the Palm Beach Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Nov. 6. Trump Sets His Sights on the Pentagon
His defense secretary pick wants to get rid of “woke” generals.
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An illustrated headshot of Doug Beck. The Bridge Builder
After more than a decade at Apple, Doug Beck is in charge of making sure the Pentagon doesn’t lose a tech race with China.
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U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin visits Nairobi, Kenya, on Sept. 26. U.S. Defense Secretary Tours Africa
Austin touts U.S. as best alternative to Russia and China during visit.
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Lloyd Austin stares down, wearing a suit, his hands clasped together. Biden’s Defense Chief Puts Alliances at Center Stage of U.S. Defense
A 10-day world tour ended with a meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels.
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Lloyd Austin walks off a plane on red stairs. U.S. Defense Secretary to Meet Chinese Counterpart
China has gained military and diplomatic footholds in Cambodia and the Solomon Islands.
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Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld meets with retiring commander of CENTCOM Gen. Tommy Franks (left) in Tampa, Florida, on July 7, 2003. Donald Rumsfeld Freed the World From ‘Mutual Assured Destruction’
His thinking on arms control proved prescient—but the howls reverberate to this day.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi meet in Brazil. Russian Arms Sale Clouds U.S.-India Ties
New Delhi’s deal for the Russian S-400 system could limit burgeoning military ties with Washington.
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U.S. President Donald Trump and then-Defense Secretary James Mattis attend a cabinet meeting in the White House on March 8, 2018. (Michael Reynolds-Pool/Getty Images) Mattis Was the Best Secretary of Defense Trump Could Have Had
In grading him, we must adjust for the difficulty of the assignment.
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U.S. President Donald Trump hosts a reception with Secretary of Defense James Mattis in the East Room of the White House on October 25, 2018. Americans’ Blind Faith in the Military Is Dangerous
U.S. citizens show deference to the armed forces regardless of their political persuasion. Their willingness to let the generals decide is a threat to the democratic tradition of civilian oversight.
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U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis (center) speaks alongside Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford (center left) and other senior Defense Department leaders as he holds a meeting with Indonesia Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, on Aug. 28. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images) How the Generals Are Routing the Policy Wonks at the Pentagon
At stake is civilian control of the military.
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John Bolton talks with Ban Ki-moon at the South Korean Foreign Ministry in Seoul on July 20, 2004. (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) Give John Bolton a Chance
If you squint at Trump’s new national security advisor, you might see some silver linings.
