pete hegseth Archives

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth delivers remarks to junior officers and enlisted leaders during a State of the Force address at the at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Sept. 30, 2026. (DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Eric Brann)

Pentagon memo outlines plan to operationalize new ‘FORTRESS America’ program office

The memorandum from the head of the A&S directorate was obtained by DefenseScoop.

6 days ago By Brandi Vincent

An aerial view of the National Mall, including the Washington Monument, the U.S. Capitol, the Jefferson Memorial, the Tidal Basin and the Pentagon from Air Force One as it departs on September 26, 2026 in Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. (Photo by Tom Brenner/Getty Images)

Bonnie Evangelista to lead drone buying on Pentagon’s new DRPM-UxS team

She previously helped co-found the Defense Department's Tradewinds Marketplace for commercial AI and data products.

Oct 6, 2026 By Brandi Vincent

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth tests a Dronebuster while touring static displays led by the 3rd Battalion, 10th Mountain Division (3/10 MTN) Warriors and Foreign Legion Force Poland Battle Group in Powidz, Poland, Feb. 15, 2025. (DoD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander C. Kubitza)

Hegseth issues new directive to hasten U.S. military’s counter-drone pursuits

The nation’s counter-drone task force “will not accept a slow-moving bureaucracy when faced with a fast-moving threat,” a spokesperson said.

Oct 2, 2026 By Brandi Vincent

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth gives a State of the Force address at Marine Corps Base Quantico on September 30, 2026 in Quantico, Virginia. Secretary Hegseth delivered his State of the Force address to junior officers, enlisted leaders, and special guests including Anduril Industries co-founder Palmer Luckey. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

U.S. creates new Autonomous Warfare Command to fuse and enhance military drone ops

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth unveiled AutoWarCom during his “State of the Force” address at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia.

Sep 30, 2026 By Brandi Vincent

YAGONG REEF, CRESCENT GROUP, PARACEL ISLANDS, SOUTH CHINA SEA — AUGUST 17, 2026 — Vantor satellite image shows new buildings and construction activity on Yagong Reef in the Paracel Islands. (Satellite image (c) 2026 Vantor. / Getty Images)

U.S. Navy, Quad partners move to ‘fingerprint’ dark fleets in the Pacific with Vantor’s AI

DefenseScoop got new details on Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific’s recent contract award to the company that grew out of Maxar.

Sep 4, 2026 By Brandi Vincent

A U.S. Army drone observes a training unit in the woods during exercise Saber Junction 26 at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center’s Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, Aug. 29, 2026. (U.S. Army photo by 1st Lt. Brandon Miles)

Lawmakers with ‘deep concerns’ press Army leadership about decision to terminate unit’s Ukraine-informed drone mission

Following an exercise in Germany set to end this month, the battalion will stop its specialized drone mission and return to its core task as an airborne…

Sep 3, 2026 By Drew F. Lawrence

Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks alongside Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Virginia Hung Cao at the Truong Tien Restaurant in the Eden Center on August 26, 2024 in Falls Church, Virginia. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Trump announces nomination of Hung Cao as SECNAV

Cao has been serving as acting secretary of the Navy since John Phelan's ouster in April.

Sep 1, 2026 By Jon Harper

Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll arrives for the United States Military Academy commencement ceremony in Michie Stadium at the U.S. Military Academy on May 23, 2026 in West Point, New York. (Photo by Adam Gray/Getty Images)

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll submits resignation

Driscoll’s move to resign follows reports of long-standing tensions between the Army boss and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Aug 31, 2026 By Jon Harper Drew F. Lawrence

Sonu Shankar appointed as Pentagon principal deputy CIO

Shankar, who previously served as a strategic advisor to the department via the BOND program, was officially sworn-in Aug. 24.

Aug 27, 2026 By Jon Harper

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology Dr. Joseph S. Jewell participates in the Department of War Lab Day at the Pentagon, Washington, D.C., May 5, 2026. (DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Carson Croom)

Data-backed review exposes urgent friction points threatening U.S. defense research enterprise

Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology Joseph Jewell briefed DefenseScoop on the recently completed comprehensive report.

Aug 19, 2026 By Brandi Vincent