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Secretary of Defense HON Pete Hegseth

The secretary of defense oversees the Defense Department and acts as the principal defense policy maker and advisor.

About

The Honorable Pete Hegseth is the 29th secretary of defense, sworn in on Jan. 25, 2025. A graduate of Princeton University in 2003, Hegseth was commissioned as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army National Guard. He participated in a number of active-duty deployments during his time in service, including operations in Guantanamo Bay, Iraq and Afghanistan.

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Office of the Secretary of Defense

Top civilian defense decision-makers work with the secretary to develop policy, operational and fiscal plans, manage resources and evaluate programs.