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Pete Hegseth: “Donald Trump is the true and rightful heir of Ronald Reagan.”

Featuring: Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Defense | National

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum.

Published December 6, 2025 | Video Starts at 01:13

The policies they've championed are nothing like his. In fact, for the better part of 30 years, they've been quite the opposite. If you look at actual policies, Donald Trump is the true and rightful heir of Ronald Reagan. It's President Trump who has inherited and restored President Reagan's powerful but focused and realistic approach to national defense. (01:13–01:18)

CLAIM

Asserts that Donald Trump continues Ronald Reagan's policies.

This is an excerpt from a raw transcript. The assertions have not been audited or verified. Tap the video to view the source footage and understand the context.

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Pete Hegseth

“President Reagan only committed U.S. ground forces twice, in Grenada and in Lebanon.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 04:41-04:47
“In less than a year, President Trump has secured eight major peace deals, including a historic end to the war in Gaza.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 08:48-08:55
“The world saw, after decades of hemming and hawing, the decisive effect of American military strength in obliterating the Iranian nuclear…”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 12:29-12:38
“Under Joe Biden, tens of millions of illegals, and we have no idea where the hell they came from or where the hell they are, float across…”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 20:59-21:11
“Today, the number of illegals crossing into our country is zero.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 21:17-21:22
“NATO committed to spend 5% of GDP on defense, 3.5 on core military and 1.5 on security related investments, and pledged to take primary…”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 33:23-33:40
“President Trump has done and is doing the same, making historic investments in defense.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 02:02-02:10
“It's only under President Trump's leadership during his first term and now that we've been able to restore America's greatness after years…”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 05:28-05:39
“Even as we speak, under the President's leadership, we are working tirelessly to end the tragic war in Ukraine, a war that never would have…”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 08:57-09:08
“Thanks to President Trump's leadership and to Congress, we received a historic boost in funding last year and believe that is only just the…”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 10:06-10:18
“President Trump is hell bent on maintaining and accelerating the most powerful military the world has ever seen.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 10:20-10:28
“The debacle in Afghanistan, a stain on our country and a sin committed against the troops.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 11:19-11:25
“The weakness that unleashed Islamist war against Israel on October 7th.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 11:25-11:30
“And that same weakness invited war in Ukraine.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 11:30-11:33
“President Trump restored freedom of navigation, another foundational and core national interest.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 13:10-13:17
“Right now the world is seeing the strength of American resolve in stemming the flow of lethal drugs to our country.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 13:21-13:28
“The lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan guide President Trump and his secretary today.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 14:09-14:15
“A bipartisan consensus of neoconservatives and liberal internationalists led us from one disaster to another.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 14:17-14:25
“Under President Trump's leadership, we're once again putting American interests first.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 15:03-15:17
“The War Department will not be distracted by democracy building, interventionism, undefined wars, regime change, climate change, woke…”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 16:12-16:25
“The historic recruiting and retention numbers of President Trump's first year show who the American people trust.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 17:06-17:15
“Allied and partner burden sharing is no longer an afterthought or a nice to have.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 18:48-18:55
“Supercharging America's defense industrial base underwrites everything else.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 19:03-19:10
“The Biden administration was more concerned about Ukraine's borders than our own.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 20:22-20:27
“Since January 20, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War has made it a top priority to defend our nation's borders.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 20:40-20:48
“We are keeping it that way. We're also proud to support our law enforcement partners as they conduct mass deportations of dangerous illegals…”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 21:25-21:38
“Nobody has built more new border wall than the Department of War.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 22:00-22:06
“The days in which these narco terrorists, designated terror organizations operate freely in our hemisphere are over.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 22:26-22:34
“One of the first executive orders signed by President Trump was for the creation of Golden Dome for America.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 23:37-23:43
“Golden Dome will produce tangible protection for this country inside the time frame of this administration and beyond.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 23:52-23:59
“We will modernize our nation's nuclear triad.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 24:57-25:01
“We will test nuclear weapons and nuclear delivery systems on an equal basis as others.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 25:13-25:21
“The United States will restore U.S. military dominance in the Western Hemisphere.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 26:18-26:24
“The Monroe Doctrine is in effect, and it is stronger than ever under the Trump Corollary.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 26:42-26:49
“Under President Trump's leadership, relations between the United States and China are better and stronger than they've been in many years.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 27:06-27:13
“President Trump and President Xi reached a major breakthrough in trade, putting both nations on a strong economic pathway.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 27:21-27:29
“Our interests in the Indo Pacific are significant, but also scoped and reasonable. This includes the ability for us, along with allies, to…”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 28:49-29:05
“It's our job to make sure Beijing sees unquestionable US Military strength that, if necessary, can back up our national interests.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 29:29-29:39
“We will ensure our military can, if God forbid necessary, project sustained capabilities along the first island chain and throughout the…”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 30:24-30:33
“President Trump is always able to negotiate from a position of strength in order to sustain peace in the Indo Pacific.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 30:46-30:55
“South Korea committed to spend 3.5 GDP on core military spending and assumed the leading role in in the Rock's conventional defense.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 33:58-34:07
“Allies that do not, allies that still fail to do their part for collective defense will face consequences.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 35:27-35:34
“The Department of war at the president's direction is laser focused on advancing America first, peace through strength, common sense…”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 36:31-36:43
“We are rebuilding our great military and every day our warriors are reestablishing the deterrence that Joe Biden so foolishly gave away.”
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth keynote address at the Reagan National Defense Forum. | Uploaded December 6, 2025 | 36:44-36:55