SecWar Hegseth Empowers Our Warriors to Defend Themselves on Base – RedState
Our soldiers exercise the profession of arms. Yet for many years they have been forcibly disarmed while on duty at their own military bases, reducing them to moving targets. This idiotic policy has resulted in a number of mass shootings on military bases, where service members have been shot without any means of self-defense, despite being trained and qualified in the use of weapons.
No more. On Thursday, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth changed that with the stroke of a pen.
Our military installations have been turned into gun-free zones, leaving our service members vulnerable and exposed.
It ends today. pic.twitter.com/IQ204YepZ0
– Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) April 2, 2026
SecWar Hegseth says – it’s worth repeating in full:
Our great republic was founded on a simple but bold idea. Our rights as citizens are not granted to us by the government but rather by God.
Two hundred and fifty years ago, the Revolutionary War was fought to secure our God-given rights. The Second Amendment to our Constitution enshrines the right of all citizens to bear arms for the protection of themselves, their families, and their fellow citizens.
The Department of War’s uniformed military personnel are trained to the highest and unwavering standards. These warfighters, charged with the security of our nation, have no less right to exercise their God-given right to keep and bear arms than any other American. Our fighters defend the right of others to bear arms – they should be able to bear arms themselves. Recent events, such as those at Fort Stewart, Holloman Air Force Base or Naval Air Station Pensacola, have made it clear that some threats are closer to us than we would like. In these cases, minutes represent a lifetime. And our military has the courage and training to make those precious minutes count.
Prior to today, it was virtually impossible – most people probably don’t know this – that it was virtually impossible for War Department personnel to obtain permission to transport and store their own personal weapons, consistent with the laws of the state in which we operate our facilities. I mean, actually, our bases across the country were gun-free zones. Unless you’re in training or a military policeman, you wouldn’t be able to carry. You could not bring your own firearm for personal protection on post.
Well, that’s not the case anymore. The memo I sign today directs installation commanders to authorize personal protection requests for private firearm carry with the presumption that it is necessary for personal protection. If a request is refused, we will explain in detail the reasons for this refusal. Once again, the presumption is that the military will be able to have their second amendment directly in office.
Not all enemies are foreign, nor outside our borders. Some are domestic. Affirming your God-given right to self-protection is what I am committed to doing today.
This is indeed good news, long awaited.
Learn more: BREAKING: One dead after active shooter incident at Fort Eisenhower
Pete Hegseth gives best response ever to Pentagon media balking at new rules of conduct
I would go further. As I have said and written for many years, and as the Secretary of War points out, these soldiers are trained in the use of weapons. They exercise the profession of arms. We should not only allow them to be armed on duty, we should also require it. I have long proposed that every officer and NCO E-5 and above (I would be willing to upgrade to E-7 if that could happen) should be issued a sidearm and ammunition, and should be required to carry it, loaded, while on duty, in garrison and in the field.
It’s a dangerous world, even more so for our military. We trust them to carry weapons into battle. We should trust them to carry weapons while on duty. And if a service member is unable to carry a weapon while serving, due to unreliability, ongoing illness, or mental issues, we don’t need one. Unload them.
Editor’s note: Thanks to the leadership of President Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, the warrior ethos is returning to the U.S. military.
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