25 January 2025-Present
The Honorable Pete Hegseth is the 29th Secretary of Defense, sworn in on Jan. 25, 2025.
On 5 September 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order authorizing the secretary of defense, Department of Defense and subordinate officials to use the secondary titles "Secretary of War" and "Department of War."
Hegseth was commissioned as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army National Guard after graduating from Princeton University in 2003. He participated in a number of active-duty deployments during his time in service, including operations in Guantanamo Bay, Iraq and Afghanistan. Hegseth also served in multiple staff positions in the National Guard.
Hegseth's military awards include two Bronze Star Medals, the Joint Commendation Medal, two Army Commendation Medals, the Combat Infantryman Badge (CIB) and the Expert Infantryman Badge (EIB). He has authored five books, including the New York Times best-seller The War on Warriors (2024).