Pete (Peter B.) Hegseth is the U.S. Secretary of War (also the 29th Secretary of Defense), sworn in on January 25, 2025. He is a former U.S. Army National Guard infantry officer with deployments to Guantánamo Bay, Iraq, and Afghanistan, has earned awards including two Bronze Star Medals and the Combat Infantryman Badge, and previously worked as a conservative television commentator and author before entering this Cabinet-level role.
The current U.S. Department of War is the same Cabinet department long known as the Department of Defense. On September 5, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order allowing the Department of Defense and its leaders to use “Department of War” and titles like “Secretary of War” as secondary names. The department’s mission, structure, and legal authorities remain those of the Department of Defense: providing the military forces needed to deter war and ensure U.S. national security.
The Secretary of War is the Cabinet official who leads the Department of War/Defense. In practice, this role is the same as the Secretary of Defense: serving as the principal defense policy adviser to the President; exercising authority, direction, and control over the U.S. military departments and combatant commands; and being responsible for organizing, training, and equipping U.S. armed forces to deter war and defend the country.
According to the advisory, Hegseth will "depart tomorrow" for Los Angeles and the notice is dated January 7, 2026, which indicates departure on January 8, 2026. No return date is provided in the advisory or other official releases, so the exact end of the trip is not publicly specified.
The advisory only states that Hegseth will visit “defense industry leaders” in Los Angeles and does not identify specific companies or executives. As of now, no official schedule or reputable reporting names particular firms for this Los Angeles stop.
Yes. The advisory notes he will conduct a “troop touch” and administer the oath of enlistment to new recruits as part of his visit, which typically involves at least some public or media-accessible events. However, it does not give times, locations, or confirm formal press briefings, so detailed public schedules are not available.
No travel or security advisories for the general public specific to Hegseth’s Los Angeles visit were found. The advisory only describes his meetings and enlistment events and does not mention restrictions or warnings for civilians.