Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that U.S. service members stationed at the southern border have high morale, citing their belief in the mission of protecting their own country.
Hegseth’s comments came during a media interview following his visit to the border on Feb. 3, where he observed operations and spoke with troops, many of whom are enlisted personnel in the E-6 pay grade and below. His visit followed the Pentagon’s Jan. 22 announcement that an additional 1,500 active-duty service members would be deployed to reinforce the more than 2,500 troops and National Guardsmen already in the region.
“When you’re able to be in your own country [while] defending your own country … it just creates a different feel,” Hegseth said, comparing the mission to past U.S. military deployments abroad. He added that many service members expressed a personal investment in securing the border, saying they felt they were protecting their own communities.
Hegseth also addressed concerns that border deployments could impact military readiness, arguing instead that the expanded operation enhances preparedness. “When you do it more robustly, the way they’re turning into a joint task force and it becomes a real-world exercise — I think it [actually] contributes to readiness,” he said.
The defense secretary also confirmed that the administration has begun transferring criminal migrants to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, following President Donald Trump’s Jan. 29 executive order directing preparations to detain up to 30,000 individuals at the facility.