Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stated during a speech at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library that President Donald Trump is the “true and rightful heir” to the strategic vision of the former Republican president. According to Hegseth, when reviewing concrete policies, it is Trump who has revived and updated the “powerful, focused, and realistic” approach that defined Reagan’s stance on defense and national security.
Hegseth emphasized that the choice of venue was not accidental: “It is fitting that we gather at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library to discuss President Trump’s common-sense agenda: America First and peace through strength.” According to the secretary, this vision represents the core of the current security policy.
A War Department with clear priorities
During his remarks, Hegseth said that the renewed War Department will not drift into indefinite missions or abstract objectives. He noted that the institution will cease engaging in democracy-building projects, prolonged interventionism, regime change, undefined wars, climate initiatives, or ideological debates unrelated to its primary mission.
“The War Department will not be distracted by woke moralizing, interventionism, or ineffective nation-building,” he stressed.
Instead, Hegseth affirmed that defense policy will focus exclusively on the strategic interests of the United States, with a practical and direct approach: “We will put our nation’s concrete priorities first.”
Peace, but based on deterrence and strength
The secretary underscored that the government’s strategy is grounded in a simple principle: peace as the ultimate goal, achieved through a solid and credible defense. “We will deter war, advance our interests, and defend our people. Peace is our goal,” he said.
With these statements, Hegseth seeks to position the role of the War Department as an institution focused solely on ensuring security, strength, and stability under the America First philosophy, drawing a direct line between the Reagan era and the current administration.
