Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth explained on Fox News Sunday why the Pentagon is opening up various positions and criticized previous mandates under the Biden-Harris administration that created the need for “fresh blood.”

Since returning to office, President Donald Trump has moved swiftly to fulfill his campaign pledge to drastically cut bureaucracy and eliminate financial waste at the federal level. His administration has implemented budget and personnel reductions across multiple agencies, including the CIA and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

During the interview, Fox News Sunday host Shannon Bream pressed Hegseth about a “rumored list” he had allegedly compiled of defense personnel slated for termination, pointedly asking if there was “anyone left” on the list—“if it exists.”

“There’s no list, Shannon. I’ve heard that. I’ve seen that very rumor. Although, we have a very keen eye toward military leadership and their willingness to follow lawful orders. This is all about defending the Constitution. [Former President] Joe Biden gave lawful orders. A lot of them are really bad,” Hegseth said.

“It’s unfortunate how they eroded our military ideological, COVID mandates,” Hegseth added. “President Trump has given another set of lawful orders and they will be followed. If they’re not followed, and all these orders are in keeping with the Constitution and norms inside the military.”

Since the cuts began in January, Democrats have pushed back against Trump’s efforts to eliminate wasteful government spending. One department reportedly facing reductions is the Department of Defense (DOD) due to past reports of misusing taxpayer funds, the Daily Caller reported.

In April 2024, under the Biden-Harris administration, the Pentagon failed to meet its March deadline to provide Congress with a full report detailing military spending on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. The missing report was supposed to account for DEI training costs, salaries for DEI administrators, and the impact of these initiatives on military recruitment and retention.

By July 2024, Open The Books exclusively shared with the Daily Caller News Foundation that Pentagon school teachers involved in DEI efforts promoted material training students to be social justice activists.

“If [lawful orders are] not followed, then those officers will find the door. That’s not a tough calculation. We feel really good about the direction the Pentagon is headed under President Trump,” Hegseth continued. “We’re going to focus on war fighting and lethality and accountability and be the most transparent Pentagon that folks have seen in a long time, which is why I explain these things on a regular basis.”

Under the Biden-Harris administration, the Navy enlisted an active-duty drag queen influencer as part of a pilot program aimed at boosting recruitment numbers—an effort that failed to meet expectations across multiple branches. Additionally, the Pentagon hosted Pride Month celebrations for LGBT-identifying service members.

One of Hegseth’s first actions as Secretary of Defense was to halt sex-change procedures for all armed forces members, enforcing Trump’s January executive order that prohibited personnel from serving under a “gender identity” different from their biological sex.

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