Born on June 6, 1980, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Pete Hegseth graduated from Princeton University in 2003 and was commissioned as an infantry officer in the Minnesota Army National Guard. He served in Iraq and Afghanistan, earning two Bronze Star Medals, two Army Commendation Medals, the Combat Infantryman Badge, and the Expert Infantryman Badge.

After his military service, Hegseth became involved in conservative advocacy, serving as executive director of Vets for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America. He gained national prominence as a contributor to Fox News and co-hosted Fox & Friends Weekend from 2017 to 2024. In November 2024, President Donald Trump nominated Hegseth to lead the Department of Defense (DoD), and he was confirmed by the Senate in January 2025.

As the 29th Secretary of the DoD, Hegseth oversees the nation’s military operations and policy, guiding the department in maintaining national security and modernizing the armed forces. His role includes managing defense strategy, budgeting, and advancing technological capabilities. Recent developments in global warfare have underscored the urgent need to accelerate U.S. drone capabilities, now a primary focus for the DoD. For many years, the United States was recognized as a leader in the development and deployment of military-grade drones. However, regulatory roadblocks have contributed to a decline in its dominance as the world’s foremost provider of military drone technology.

On July 10, 2025, Hegseth posted a video to his X (formerly Twitter) account titled Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance, promoting how the DoD aims to reclaim its position as the strongest defense agency in the world by embracing the future of drone technology. Growing up as a teen in the ’90s, it’s no surprise that Hegseth chose to have Metallica’s Enter Sandman playing as the background music for the video. The band was quick to respond with a copyright infringement notice, prompting Hegseth to repost the video sans the background music.

The video has gone on to garner hundreds of thousands of views across multiple platforms with conflicting responses. The majority of the responses have been negative, primarily because of Hegseth’s uncomfortable delivery of his message, with some comparing it to a skit from Saturday Night Live. Despite the awkward delivery of the message, Hegseth’s video has been great for the drone industry. Standing outside the Pentagon, in front of several military officers operating drones, one of which delivers a message to him, Hegseth speaks about the need for the U.S. to reclaim its status as the global leader in drone warfare by cutting bureaucratic red tape and embracing rapid innovation. “We are removing the red tape that has slowed down our drone dominance,” he says, “no more endless procurement delays.”

The video’s message is clear. Under Hegseth’s leadership, in alignment with President Trump’s June 6, 2025, Unleashing American Drone Dominance bill, the DoD is prioritizing speed, autonomy, and modernization to ensure the U.S. military stays ahead of rising threats in drone-enabled warfare. Following the release of Hegseth’s drone video, defense and drone-related stocks surged as investors responded to signals of sweeping reform within the Pentagon.

Companies like AeroVironment and Kratos Defense & Security Solutions saw their shares climb over 10%, while smaller firms such as Red Cat and Unusual Machines spiked by more than 25%, defying a broader market downturn. This uptick was driven by Hegseth’s pledge to cut regulatory red tape and reclassify drones as consumable weapons, a move analysts viewed as a green light for accelerated procurement and expanded deployment. Investors interpreted the video not as political theater but as a sign that the DoD is preparing to rapidly scale up its drone programs, fueling optimism for sustained growth across the U.S. drone manufacturing sector.

Towards the end of the video, Hegseth detaches the actual memo from one of the drones and signs it on camera. “Lethality will not be hindered by self-imposed restrictions, especially when it comes to harnessing technologies we invented but were slow to pursue. Drone technology is advancing so rapidly, our major risk is risk-avoidance,” Hegseth writes in the memo’s ending. “The department’s bureaucratic gloves are coming off.” Hegseth’s video, despite its mixed reception, signals a clear and determined shift in U.S. defense strategy toward embracing drone technology as a critical component of future warfare. As the Pentagon accelerates modernization efforts, the impact on military capabilities and the defense industry is poised to be significant.

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