All posts tagged: Pete Hegseth

Residents of French village say US defense chief Hegseth not welcome for D-Day visit

Residents of French village say US defense chief Hegseth not welcome for D-Day visit

Published by Sam Flores

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday travelled to Normandy to commemorate the 82nd anniversary of the World War II D-Day landings. But after making a speech at the American military cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, he conspicuously skipped afternoon’s main international ceremony marking the anniversary of the Allied landings, which helped herald the end of World War II. His presence was not missed by some residents of the village hosting the ceremony, Langrune-sur-Mer, who said the US official was not welcome there. “He has very warlike views and it seems to us that this man does not share our democratic values,” Sylvie Lamy Thepaut, a member of the municipal association Langrune en commun, told BFM TV. A message on the association’s website called for Hegseth’s visit to be cancelled on the grounds that the Pentagon chief “espouses values contrary to democracy, human rights and peace” and had made “numerous anti-European remarks”, “warlike statements” and “American supremacist pronouncements”. “The honor of Langrune, that of France, and the memory of the young Allied soldiers – American, British, Canadian – who died …

Pete Hegseth Branded ‘Absolute Bum’ Over Attack On Nato Countries At D-Day Commemoration

Pete Hegseth Branded ‘Absolute Bum’ Over Attack On Nato Countries At D-Day Commemoration

Published by Sam Flores

Pete Hegseth looks up as he delivers a speech at the US cemetery to commemorate the 82nd anniversary of the D-Day landings. via Associated Press Pete Hegseth has been condemned after he used a D-Day commemoration to accuse Nato countries of not doing enough to tackle illegal immigration. The US defence secretary was branded “an absolute bum” after saying “European beaches are [being] stormed by different, dangerous ideologies”. Critics said his comments, at the Normandy American Cemetery in north-west France on the 82nd anniversary of the D-Day landings, were disrespectful to the memory of those who died in the Second World War. Nearly 4,500 Allied troops were killed attempting to liberate Nazi-occupied France on June 6, 1944. Hegseth said: “Sadly, today, different European beaches are stormed by different, dangerous ideologies. Beaches in Spain, Italy, Greece and Bulgaria, boats and men arrive. “When will European capitals do something about that invasion or is it too late? I pray not, and I believe not.” But his comments sparked a furious backlash on social media. Former Labour MP …

Defense Department to drop atheists, pagans, 175 others from list of military faiths

Defense Department to drop atheists, pagans, 175 others from list of military faiths

Published by Sam Flores

(RNS) — The Department of Defense is substantially reducing the number of religions it officially recognizes, reportedly excluding atheists, pagans, humanists and New Age faiths, an independent military-focused news website reports. The reduction of recognized faith groups represents the first time the military has revised the list since 2017, when it vastly expanded the list of recognized faith groups to about 211. The new list includes 31 recognized faiths, as first reported by Military.com on Thursday (June 4). The outlet said its report was based on a May 20 memorandum it obtained after it was issued by the undersecretary of defense. The Department of Defense did not immediately respond to a request from RNS for additional information, including the specifics of who was included on the list and how such decisions would affect military members of other faiths who might desire assistance from a chaplain. But the report seems to reflect developments previously announced by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. In a March video, he introduced upcoming Pentagon plans relating to reforms of the chaplain corps …

US strikes another commercial ship trying to breach blockade on Iran

US strikes another commercial ship trying to breach blockade on Iran

Published by Sam Flores

Donald Trump has shown no sign of approving a peace deal with Iran despite saying on Friday that he would make a ‘final determination’, ITV News Correspondent Sejal Karia explains. The US military stopped a merchant vessel trying to break through its blockade of Iranian ports by firing a missile into its engine room. The Gambia-flagged cargo ship Lian Star ignored more than 20 warnings from American forces overnight as it tried to enter an Iranian port, the US Central Command said. The ship remained adrift in the Gulf of Oman and US forces have not boarded it, a US official with knowledge of the situation said. It means the US has now stopped six ships trying to breach the blockade, imposed on April 17. One has been allowed to proceed and another 116 ships have been redirected, the military has said. Energy bills to rise more than £200 a year as Iran war impacts UK households Mexico agrees to host Iran at World Cup instead of US The blockade was launched in response to …

AUKUS unveils undersea drone project to deepen defense partnership – POLITICO

AUKUS unveils undersea drone project to deepen defense partnership – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

AUKUS is a trilateral security partnership established in 2021 by Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. It focuses on countering China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific region by enhancing the three countries’ military capabilities through the deployment of nuclear-powered submarines, what is known as the “Pillar One” of the alliance. The three countries also are cooperating to develop advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, cyber capabilities, and other undersea and defense systems — referred to as “Pillar Two.” The alliance encompasses Australia’s acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines from the United States, the joint development of a new AUKUS-class submarine, and the creation of facilities to host U.S. and British submarines on Australian territory. In mid-2025, the U.K. and Australia scrambled to reassure Washington of their commitment to AUKUS after the Pentagon ordered a review of the pact, fueling fears that the United States could retreat from the agreement. Those concerns eased in October, when U.S. President Donald Trump reaffirmed his backing for the alliance. “The United States, as we’ve said from the beginning, and …

U.S. support for Taiwan reaffirmed by members of Congress

U.S. support for Taiwan reaffirmed by members of Congress

Published by Sam Flores

A ship fires a weapon during drills east of Taiwan, in this screenshot from a video released by the Eastern Theatre Command of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on Dec. 29, 2025. Eastern Theatre Command | Via Reuters The U.S. Congress continues to have strong support for Taiwan even as it remains a focal point in relations with China, according to members of a delegation at the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. “There’s really strong bipartisan support for Taiwan and Taiwan security, and making sure we build on so much of the progress that has been made” regarding the island’s ability to defend itself, Senator Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill, said in a media roundtable at the Dialogue. Taiwan, which asserts the right to self-government but is also claimed by China, has been in focus given remarks made over time by U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump has referred to $14 billion in arms sales to the island, which has been approved by Congress, as a “negotiating chip” with China. “Our commitment to Taiwan – it’s not changing,” …

U.S. is right to ask allies to spend more on defense, Dutch DPM says

U.S. is right to ask allies to spend more on defense, Dutch DPM says

Published by Sam Flores

Netherlands’ Deputy Prime Minister VVD party leader Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius speaks during a weekly press conference following the Council of Ministers in The Hague on April 10, 2026. (Photo by Robin Utrecht / ANP / AFP via Getty Images) / Netherlands OUT Robin Utrecht | Afp | Getty Images The U.S.’ call for allies to step up defense spending is legitimate, according to Dutch deputy prime minster Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius. Speaking to CNBC’s Sri Jegarajah on the sidelines of the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, Yesilgoz said that before the Ukraine war broke out, the Netherlands had relied a lot on allies. “So I think this is a very clear message, and it’s very important that every NATO ally has to make sure that we invest enough the 5% we agreed upon during the Hague summit. The Netherlands is doing this, and I urge also other countries to do so,” she added. Back in June 2025, NATO countries — except Spain — had committed to spend 5% of their gross domestic product on defense, split into 3.5% for direct …

Trump Brags If Iran Doesn’t Give Him What He Wants, Hegseth Will ‘Finish ‘Em Off’

Trump Brags If Iran Doesn’t Give Him What He Wants, Hegseth Will ‘Finish ‘Em Off’

Published by Sam Flores

President Donald Trump bragged that if Iran doesn’t give the US what it wants amid negotiations for a potential agreement to end hostilities — then Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is going to “finish ’em off.” Trump made the remark during a Cabinet meeting at the White House on Wednesday after a reporter asked him to describe where the talks with Iran are at in football terms, asking him, “What yard line would you be on?” Opting to skip the football analogies, the president responded, “They are starting to give us the things that they have to give us, and if they do, that’s great. And if they won’t, then the man on my left is gonna finish ’em off.” Trump was referring to Hegseth, who was seated on his left. “Is there a time frame in your mind?” the reporter followed up. Noting that it “happens quickly,” Trump said, “The problem is, every time I mention a time frame — for instance … we’ve been doing this for a few months. Vietnam lasted 19 …

How worship music became the soundtrack of today’s political right

How worship music became the soundtrack of today’s political right

Published by Sam Flores

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) — It’s just after 8:30 on a Sunday morning in Nashville, and the worship band at Woodmont Christian Church is getting warmed up. After tuning her Taylor guitar, worship pastor Andra Moran jumps into a familiar song. “How great is our God / Sing with me / How great is our God.” The song has long been one of her favorites. It is easy to sing, gives people a bit of transcendence and lets them know they are not alone. “Inviting people in — that’s something important to me as a song leader,” said Moran. If you’ve been to church in the U.S. over the past two decades, chances are you’ve heard “How Great Is Our God.” First recorded by Chris Tomlin in 2004, the song is a favorite at big-box megachurches and tiny congregations alike. In mid May, it was #10 on the list of top songs sung in churches, compiled by the CCLI, which licenses songs for congregational use. But in recent years, “How Great Is Our God” and other …