Secretary of Defense

Hegseth renames North Carolina military base Fort Roland L. Bragg

9:25am February 11, 2025

by Tara Copp, Associated Press

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has signed an order restoring the name of a storied special operations forces base back to Fort Bragg. The North Carolina base was renamed Fort Liberty in 2023 as part of a national effort under the Biden administration to remove names that honored Confederate leaders.

Austin speaks last month in Wilmington, Del., after being formally nominated as defense secretary.

Lloyd Austin Confirmed As Defense Secretary, Becomes 1st Black Pentagon Chief

3:35pm January 22, 2021

by Brakkton Booker

Austin's near-unanimous confirmation came despite concerns raised on both sides of the aisle that he hadn't been out of uniform for the legally mandated minimum seven-year period.

Retired U.S. Army General Lloyd Austin speaks after being nominated to be secretary of defense by President-elect Joe Biden.

WATCH: Biden's Defense Pick, Lloyd Austin Confirmation Hearing Underway

3:09pm January 19, 2021

by Brakkton Booker

Austin, a retired four-star Army general, served in the military for 40 years including as the first Black general to lead U.S. Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East.

Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper joined nine other former defense secretaries in calling for an end to challenges to the presidential election.

In Op-Ed, 10 Ex-Defense Secretaries Say Military Has No Role In Election Dispute

12:50pm January 04, 2021

by Jaclyn Diaz

A bipartisan group of 10 former secretaries of defense criticized attempts to challenge November's presidential election and called it a dangerous threat to the nation's security.

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Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan listens as President Trump speaks during a signing event for "Space Policy Directive 4" in the Oval Office of the White House in February.

Trump To Nominate Patrick Shanahan As Defense Secretary

5:23pm May 09, 2019

by Tom Bowman

Shanahan has served as acting defense secretary since former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis resigned last December over President Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria.

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Former Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis, now President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Defense Department, at a 2011 congressional hearing.

Trump's Defense Pick Challenges Rules Regarding Civilian Control Of The Military

5:12pm December 02, 2016

by Brian Naylor

Legally, recently retired generals aren't eligible to serve as secretary of defense. While praising James Mattis' service, some Democrats question whether he should lead the Defense Department.

Ashton Carter answers a reporter's question during a March 2013 news conference at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea.

Reports: Ashton Carter Emerges As Obama's Top Pick For Secretary Of Defense

3:06pm December 02, 2014

by Eyder Peralta

Carter served as the No. 2 defense official under Leon Panetta. While relatively unknown to the public, he's respected for his intelligence.