Hegseth responds to China’s Golden Dome criticism, lauds Fort Bragg name change
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth denied China’s claim the Golden Dome would turn space into a “war zone.”
“All we care about is protecting the homeland,” Hegseth told Fox News Digital while departing from a trip to Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
President Donald Trump has said for a long time defense of the homeland is critical to his “America First” policy, and the Golden Dome is a generational investment.
Chinese Foreign Minister Mao Ning claimed this week the Golden Dome has a “strong offensive nature and violates the principle of peaceful use in the Outer Space Treaty.”
CHINA ACCUSES US OF ‘TURNING SPACE INTO A WARZONE’ WITH TRUMP’S GOLDEN DOME MISSILE DEFENSE PROJECT
“The project will heighten the risk of turning space into a war zone and creating a space arms race and shake the international security and arms control system,” Mao said. “We urge the U.S. to give up developing and deploying global anti-missile system.”
Trump, alongside Hegseth, released some details about the project earlier in the week, explaining there’s an ambitious plan to complete the missile defense shield in three years for $125 billion.
Hegseth also responded to pushback over his decision to kick off a monthly Christian prayer service at the Pentagon, which sparked a debate over religious freedom and the separation of church and state.
“Appealing to heaven, to God, is a longstanding tradition in our military,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said of his monthly Pentagon prayer service. (Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza/Navy)
“We’ve said it very publicly, and we’ve said it very proudly. Appealing to heaven, to God, is a longstanding tradition in our military,” Hegseth said, adding that George Washington got on bended knee alongside his continental Army forces.
“I appeal to Jesus Christ for that protection, to speak that word and be open and willing to talk about it at the Pentagon. If they want to criticize that, they’re on the wrong side,” he said.
His remarks came after he addressed the 82nd Airborne Division of Army paratroopers during “All-American Week.”
There, he celebrated the name change of the North Carolina base from Fort Liberty back to Fort Bragg.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks as he makes an announcement with President Donald Trump regarding the Golden Dome missile defense shield in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., May 20, 2025. (Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)
“It is Fort Bragg again,” Hegseth said to cheers from the crowd.
“Nothing wrong with Fort Liberty. Give me liberty or give me death. I love it,” Hegseth said. “But give me Fort Bragg every day of the week.”
He also addressed critics who said he didn’t have the strategic experience to serve as secretary of defense, and took a shot at the media.
“Our friends in the fake news media are here,” Hegseth said. “Some of them said, ‘Critics might say you can’t choose an Army major to be the secretary of defense. It has to be, well, one of our many distinguished generals or congressmen or business leaders or corporate leaders.’
TRUMP, HEGSETH ANNOUNCE ‘GOLDEN DOME,’ A ‘GAME CHANGER’ TO PROTECT AMERICAN HOMELAND
“One of the critiques was we need somebody that can think strategically, big picture. We can’t have a guy who thinks like the troops, to which I say ‘Hell, yeah, we can have a guy that thinks like the troops.’”
He told a crowd of Army paratroopers, “I’ve been in that formation, loosening my knees, taking a deep breath, gazing over the horizon, sweating and wondering what time it is, but I can’t move my arm. I’ve been in your boots — not yours. The 101st is not the 82nd. I’ll admit that on a day like today. Not quite your boots or your beret, but close.”
Paratroopers perform a pass in review drill while Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visits. (Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander Kubitza/Navy)
Hegseth announced an increase in jump pay for paratroopers to more cheers from the crowd.
Hazardous duty incentive pay, known as “jump pay” for Army troopers who jump out of airplanes, will increase from $150 a month to $200.
Jump masters, the senior paratroopers who train and lead jump operations, will see their pay increase from $150 to $300.
“Here’s to our paratroopers, our jumpmasters, who do the difficult things in difficult places that most Americans can never imagine,” Hegseth said.
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Since 2006, the Army has maintained 56,756 paid parachutist positions, according to Gen. Gregory Anderson, head of the 18th Airborne Corps. That number will decrease by 20,000, allowing for the increase in pay for those who do maintain their jump status.
Limited aircraft ability and resources has meant a “degradation in proficiency,” Anderson told reporters. “The goal has to be really good quality over quantity.”
