What Happened
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Remakes US Army Amid Culture Wars
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has crashed the Army’s biggest annual conference, AUSA, sparking debate over the Pentagon’s future. Hegseth has remade the US Army, firing top leaders and building new military commands, but his presence has reignited a battle for the Army’s future between futurists and culture warriors. Allies are seeking US leadership in technology, but are wary of Hegseth’s agenda, which may have implications for the US military’s modernization efforts and its relationships with allies. The conference, which features exhibits from major defense contractors like Lockheed Martin and Boeing, is being closely watched by industry leaders and European governments, according to POLITICO.