U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth answers a question as he, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Air Force General Dan Caine and acting Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller)/Chief Financial Officer Jules Hurst participate in a House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing on President Donald Trump's FY2027 budget request for the Department of Defense, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 12, 2026. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
Washington Week with The Atlantic airs May 22, 2026 at 8PM on PBS (check local listings)
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Secretary of War
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has distinguished himself as President Trump’s most pugnacious cabinet member and as a leading advocate of the war against Iran. This Memorial Day weekend, we take a close look at his management of the world’s most powerful military.
Joining editor in chief of The Atlantic and moderator, Jeffrey Goldberg, to discuss this and more:
- Helene Cooper, National Security Correspondent, The New York Times
- Jonathan Karl, Chief Washington Correspondent, ABC News
- Missy Ryan, Staff Writer, The Atlantic
- Vivian Salama, Staff Writer, The Atlantic
Major funding for Washington Week with The Atlantic is provided by Consumer Cellular, the Yuen Foundation, Sandra and Carl DeLay-Magnuson, Rose Hirschel and Andy Shreeves, Leonard and Norma Klorfine, Robert and Susan Rosenbaum, and PBS.
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