President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he ordered military airstrikes in Somalia, taking out a senior ISIS attack planner and other terrorists the planner had recruited.

The strikes come just weeks after an ISIS-inspired terrorist killed 14 people and injured dozens more after he plowed a truck into New Year's Eve revelers in New Orleans. 

"These killers, who we found hiding in caves, threatened the United States and our Allies," Trump wrote on Truth Social. 

Trump said that the strikes destroyed the caves the terrorists were living in and did not "in any way" harm civilians. 

6 TIMES ISIS HAS INSPIRED TERROR ATTACKS ON US SOIL

"Our Military has targeted this ISIS attack planner for years, but Biden and his cronies wouldn’t act quickly enough to get the job done. I did!" Trump wrote.

"The message to ISIS and all others who would attack Americans is that ‘WE WILL FIND YOU, AND WE WILL KILL YOU!’" Trump wrote.

It is unclear how many people in total were killed.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth provided further details on the strikes, saying they were carried out by U.S. Africa Command in coordination with the Somali government.

"I authorized U.S. Africa Command to conduct coordinated airstrikes today targeting ISIS-Somalia operatives in the Golis mountains," Hegseth said in a statement.

"Our initial assessment is that multiple operatives were killed in the airstrikes and no civilians were harmed. This action further degrades ISIS's ability to plot and conduct terrorist attacks threatening U.S. citizens, our partners, and innocent civilians."

Hegseth said the strikes "send a clear signal" that the U.S. always stands ready to find and eliminate terrorists who threaten the country and its allies even as it carries out robust border protections at home. 

An official in the Somali president's office, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the strikes to Reuters and said Somalia's government welcomed the move.

"Somalia cannot be a safe haven for terrorists," said the official, adding that the impact of the strikes was still being assessed.

The United States has periodically carried out airstrikes in Somalia for years under Republican and Democratic administrations.

A strike, which also targeted Islamic State militants, was carried out by the U.S. in coordination with Somalia last year. It killed three members of the group, the U.S. military said.

Reuters contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump's choice to head the Department of Veterans Affairs, Doug Collins, passed a Senate cloture vote Thursday night. 

The vote was 83-13.

Collins will proceed to a full vote on the Senate floor for confirmation, which he is expected to easily secure with strong bipartisan support.

HAWAII'S HIRONO ONLY SENATOR TO VOTE NO ON COLLINS, CONTINUING PARTISAN STREAK AT HEARINGS

A former U.S. congressman, the Gainesville, Georgia, native also serves as a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.

Collins was not expected to face a difficult confirmation fight and received bipartisan support in his committee hearing, the lone exception being Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, who voted against him.

If confirmed as VA secretary, Collins would oversee a beleaguered system of healthcare and benefits for the nation's veterans. 

Long wait times to see providers, lack of access to community care, inadequate mental health support and budget shortfalls are just a few of many problems that have plagued past secretaries in both Republican and Democratic administrations.

Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.

Air Traffic Control (ATC) audio from Wednesday’s collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines jet reveals the moments before and after controllers witnessed the disaster unfold. 

The two aircraft collided at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, at around 9 p.m. with 60 passengers and four crew members onboard the passenger jet, while three soldiers were inside the helicopter. A massive recovery operation is underway on the Potomac River.

In the air traffic control audio, a controller can be heard directing American Airlines Flight 5342 to take Runway 33.

AMERICAN AIRLINES PLANE, ARMY HELICOPTER COLLIDE OUTSIDE REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT NEAR WASHINGTON DC

The AA pilot confirms he can take Runway 33 and is clear to land the aircraft, a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet, referred to as "CRJ."

The controller then instructs the helicopter, an Army UH-60 helicopter Sikorsky UH-60 helicopter, referred to as "PAT25," to pass behind the jet.

"PAT25, do you have the CRJ in sight? PAT 25 pass behind the CRJ," the controller says.

No response is heard on the ATC audio feed. Fox News has learned that the helicopter did respond, but on a different frequency, a frequency for helicopters.

About 40 seconds later ground traffic control alerted the tower.

REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT CRASH: MILITARY BLACK HAWK HELICOPTER COLLIDES MIDAIR WITH AMERICAN AIRLINES JET

"Tower Did you see that?"

"Yup we saw it," someone from the tower says, and then the controllers begin the process of frantically diverting the flights.

"Everybody hold your positions on the field right now," a female controller says.

"Fire command. The accident happened in the river. Both the helicopter and the plane crashed in the river... he approached into Runway 33," she says.

"All runways are closed. Nobody's landing, no one moving at all," she tells the fire command, adding that he has clearance to use all taxiways and runways for a response. 

"It was probably out in the middle of the river, the controller says. "I just saw a fireball and then it was just gone. I haven't seen anything since they hit the river. But it was a CRJ and a helicopter that hit, I would say about a half mile off the approach into 33," she says.

At the time of the crash, Reagan National Airport reported clear skies, visibility of 10 miles and winds sustained out of the northwest at 16 mph, gusting to 26 mph. The temperature at the time was 50 degrees.

The Army told Fox News Digital that the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, carrying three soldiers, was "from Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Battalion, out of Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir" and was conducting a "training flight."

Russian and U.S. figure skaters were on board an American Airlines flight.

The collision marked the first time there has been a crash involving a U.S. commercial flight since 2009.

Colgan Air Flight 3407, a flight from Newark, New Jersey, to Buffalo, New York, stalled and crashed during a landing approach near Buffalo Niagara International Airport on Feb. 12, 2009. The plane slammed into a house.

Fox News’ Greg Wehner and Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report. 

The deadly midair collision involving an airplane and a military helicopter on Wednesday night appears to have been caught on camera.

Footage shows a bright, fiery explosion as the two objects collide.

First responders were "switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation," D.C. Fire and EMS Department Chief John Donnelly said during a press conference on Thursday morning, noting that they do not believe there are any crash survivors.

He indicated 27 bodies had been recovered from the airplane, and one from the helicopter.

"A PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet collided in midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach to Runway 33 at Reagan Washington National Airport around 9 p.m. local time," the Federal Aviation Administration noted on Wednesday night. "PSA was operating as Flight 5342 for American Airlines. It departed from Wichita, Kansas. The FAA and NTSB will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation."

RECORDINGS REVEAL MORE INFORMATION ON DC AIRCRAFT COLLISION

The chopper had been engaged in a "training mission" at the time of the collision, Ron McLendon II, Deputy Director, JTF-NCR/USAMDW Public Affairs noted.

"While performing a training mission a United States Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter from Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Battalion, Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir, Va., collided in midair with an American Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet Flight 5342 last night at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport," McLendon noted. "The FAA, NTSB and the United States Army will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation. We are working with local officials and will provide any additional information once it becomes available."

U.S. Figure Skating has indicated that members of its community were on the airplane.

"U.S. Figure Skating can confirm that several members of our skating community were sadly aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, which collided with a helicopter yesterday evening in Washington, D.C. These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas," U.S. Figure Skating noted.

"We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts. We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available," the statement added.

AMERICAN FIGURE SKATING MEMBERS, RUSSIAN OLYMPIANS ABOARD PLANE IN REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT CRASH

Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., noted that he had landed at the DCA airport on a flight from Houston's IAH airport shortly before the collision occurred.

"I landed at DCA this evening at 8:42pm, IAH—DCA, minutes before an in-flight collision over the airport. My thoughts are with all involved and their families. Hoping first responders find survivors," the congressman noted on Wednesday night.

REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT CRASH: TRUMP, LAWMAKERS REACT TO TRAGEDY AS OFFICIALS INVESTIGATE

President Donald Trump sounded off about the crash on Truth Social.

"The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!" Trump declared in a post shared shortly after midnight.

"What a terrible night this has been. God bless you all!" he added in another post.

Fox News' Melissa Summers and James Levison contributed to this report

DEI is about to die at the DoD.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth zeroed in on the controversial programs, releasing a memorandum on Wednesday stating that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is incompatible with Department of Defense (DoD) values, and created a task force to address the abolition of the program.

Further, it outlined how the department will restore America's fighting force – citing promotion and selection reform; elimination of quotas; and prohibition of Critical Race Theory, gender ideology, and DEI.

In an executive order issued Monday, "Restoring America's Fighting Force," President Donald Trump prohibited any preference or disadvantage for an individual or group within the Armed Forces on the basis of sex, race or ethnicity. 

DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH SAYS ‘NO MORE DEI AT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE’: ‘NO EXCEPTIONS’

The memorandum – for senior pentagon leadership, commanders, and DoD field activity directors – noted the DoD will strive to provide merit-based, color-blind, equal opportunities for service members, but will not guarantee or strive for equal outcomes.

All decisions related to hiring, promotion, and selection of personnel for assignments will be based on merit, the needs of the department, and the individual's desires, according to the memo.

Officials created a "Restoring America's Fighting Force" Task Force to oversee the department's efforts to abolish DEI offices, boards, councils and working groups.

WHITE HOUSE OPM ORDERS ALL DEI OFFICES TO BEGIN CLOSING BY END OF DAY WEDNESDAY

It will also eliminate any "vestiges of such offices that subvert meritocracy, perpetuate unconstitutional discrimination, and promote radical ideologies related to systemic racism and gender fluidity."

Officials also nixed any programs, elements or initiatives that were established to promote "diverse concepts," according to the memo. 

Moving forward, officials said the DoD will not consider sex, race or ethnicity when considering individuals for promotion, command or special duty.

The department will also eliminate quotas, objectives and goals that are based on those characteristics.

U.S. Service Academies and other defense academic institutions will "teach that America and its founding documents remain the most powerful force for good in human history," according to the memo.

U.S. Naval Academy and U.S. Air Force Academy officials provided Fox News Digital with the same statement when asked for comment on Trump's orders.

"In accordance with the Department of Defense, the U.S. Naval Academy will fully execute and implement all directives outlined in the Executive Orders issued by the President, ensuring that they are carried out with utmost professionalism, efficiency, and in alignment with national security objectives," officials said.

Fox News Digital requested comment from the U.S. Military Academy (West Point), U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, but did not immediately receive a response.

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An initial report on progress will be provided to the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (USDP&R) by March 1, and a final report by June 1.

A man who served in World War II as an airman recently turned 100 years old — and celebrated in style with two different birthday parties. 

He also said the smartphone has been one of the most significant inventions in his lifetime — plus shared his tips for living a long and healthy life. 

John Fife, who lives in Clevedon, in North Somerset in the U.K., turned 100 on Dec. 26, 2024, news agency SWNS reported.

EATING THIS BREAKFAST FOOD COULD HELP YOU LIVE LONGER, STUDY SUGGESTS

He celebrated first with family and friends at a hotel — and second with friends and neighbors in the lounge at Coleridge Court, a McCarthy Stone Retiring Living development, as SWNS noted.

He said, "I feel very fortunate that I still enjoy good health and am able to get out and about."

Born and educated in Edinburgh, Fife said he was called up for national service with the Royal Air Force in 1943. 

He trained as a wireless operator and air gunner in the RAF, SWNS said. 

He then served with Coastal Command Air/Sea Rescue until he was demobilized in 1946.

TO LIVE LONGER, DO THESE 5 THINGS EVERY DAY, SAYS A BRAIN HEALTH EXPERT

After leaving the military, Fife got married and started a career in the civil service with the Post Office Savings Bank in two different locations.

He, his wife and their two sons moved to Glasgow in 1966 where, following the separation of the Savings Bank from the Post Office, he worked on setting up a new headquarters for the Savings Bank, known today in the U.K. as National Savings & Investments, the same source noted.

During this time, he received special recognition for his services.

"In 1970, I was presented to Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to the headquarters of the new Department," Fife said, as SNWS reported.

He retired from the Civil Service in 1984 and moved to Clevedon to be nearer his sons.

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So how does he keep active even today? 

"I start each day with a fixed goal, such as a long walk or going to church, and I love completing jigsaws," he said, as SWNS reported.

For more Health articles, visit foxnews.com/health

He said he's also "made new friends and started new activities since moving to Coleridge Court in 2022."

When asked for his secrets of living a long life, Fife was quite clear.

"Make a decision to do things and carry them out and do what you can to help the less fortunate," he said.

He said medical advances throughout his years on Earth have been extraordinary — and also named the smartphone as probably the most significant development he's witnessed in his 100 years.

The Air Force has resumed a course on the first Black pilots unit that was temporarily yanked in what officials claim was an effort to ensure compliance with President Donald Trump’s executive order banning DEI in the federal government. 

Following backlash from legislators and even the new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Air Force claimed reports it had yanked a course teaching new recruits about the 15,000 Black pilots, mechanics and cooks in the segregated Army of World War II known as the Tuskegee Airmen were "inaccurate." 

However, Hegseth wrote on X Sunday that the course's removal had been "immediately reversed."

Lt. Gen. Brian Robinson, Air Education and Training Command commander, said in a statement that the segment that included videos on the Tuskegee Airmen was temporarily yanked on Jan. 23 because a section of it that included DEI material was directed to be removed.

A video on the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), a paramilitary group of female pilots in World War II, was also temporarily removed.

"We believe this adjustment to curriculum to be fully aligned with the direction given in the DEI executive order," he said. "No curriculum or content highlighting the honor and valor of the Tuskegee Airmen or Women Air Force Service Pilots has been removed from Basic Military Training."

TRUMP’S CRACKDOWN ON TRANS TROOPS: NEW ORDER NIXES PREFERRED PRONOUNS AND RESTRICTS FACILITY USE

"No Airmen or Guardians will miss this block of instruction due to the revision, however, one group of trainees had the training delayed. The revised training, which focuses on the documented historic legacy and decorated valor with which these units and airmen fought for our nation in World War II and beyond will continue on 27 January."

Gen. David Allvin, Air Force chief of staff, explained further, "Allow me to clearly dispel a rumor – while we are currently reviewing all training courses to ensure compliance with the executive orders, no curriculum or content highlighting the honor and valor of the Tuskegee Airmen or Women Air Force Service Pilots has been removed from Basic Military Training."

"From day one, I directed our Air Force to implement all directives outlined in the Executive Orders issued by the president swiftly and professionally – no equivocation, no slow-rolling, no foot-dragging. When policies change, it is everyone’s responsibility to be diligent and ensure all remnants of the outdated policies are appropriately removed, and the new ones are clearly put in place," he went on in a statement. 

"Despite some inaccurate opinions expressed in reporting recently, our Air Force is faithfully executing all the president’s executive orders. Adhering to policy includes fully aligning our force with the direction given in the DEI executive order. Disguising and renaming are not compliance, and I’ve made this clear. If there are instances of less-than-full compliance, we will hold those responsible accountable."

Before the Air Force announced it would resume training on the airmen on Monday, Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., had accused it of "malicious compliance." 

"I have no doubt Secretary Hegseth will correct and get to the bottom of the malicious compliance we’ve seen in recent days. President Trump celebrated and honored the Tuskegee Airmen during his first term," she said. 

PETE HEGSETH CONFIRMED TO LEAD PENTAGON AFTER VP VANCE CASTS TIE-BREAKING VOTE

"Amen! We’re all over it, Senator. This will not stand," Hegseth echoed.

WASP were vital to ferrying warplanes throughout World War II. The Tuskegee Airmen, an active fighter unit from 1940 to 1952, were the first soldiers who flew during World War II. The group destroyed more than 100 German aircraft. 

The nation's armed forces were not desegregated until 1948, under an executive order from then-President Harry Truman. 

Trump is expected to issue a new executive order focused on rooting out DEI in the military on Monday, in addition to one restricting accommodations for transgender troops. Another executive order will reinstate service members who were fired over refusing the COVID-19 vaccine. 

President Donald Trump is expected to sign a new executive order restricting transgender troops from serving in the military on Monday. 

The new order requires Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to update medical standards to ensure they "prioritize readiness and lethality" and take action to "end the use of invented and identification-based pronouns" within DOD, per a White House document reviewed by Fox News Digital. 

The order also restricts sleeping, changing and bathing facilities by biological sex. It’s not an immediate ban, but a direction for the secretary of Defense to implement such policies. 

It revokes former President Joe Biden’s executive order the White House argues "allowed for special circumstances to accommodate ‘gender identity’ in the military – to the detriment of military readiness and unit cohesion."

The order builds on another directive Trump issued last week that revoked a Biden-era order allowing transgender people to serve in the military. 

DEFENSE SECRETARY PETE HEGSETH SAYS 'NO MORE DEI AT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE': 'NO EXCEPTIONS'

On the campaign trail, Trump promised to reinstate the ban on transgender troops he imposed during his first term. In his inauguration speech, he said he would formally recognize that there are only two genders: male and female.

There are an estimated 9,000 to 14,000 transgender service members – exact figures are not publicly available.

Between Jan. 1, 2016, and May 14, 2021, the DOD reportedly spent approximately $15 million on providing gender-affirming care (surgical and nonsurgical care) to 1,892 active duty service members, according to Congressional Research Service. 

The move comes as part of a campaign taken up by Trump and Hegseth to weed out any diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices across the military. And GOP lawmakers successfully included an amendment in their 2025 defense policy bill that bans irreversible transgender care for minors in the military healthcare system.

WHITE HOUSE OPM ORDERS ALL DEI OFFICES TO BEGIN CLOSING BY END OF DAY WEDNESDAY

A day-one order banning DEI policies across the federal government has already sidelined 395 bureaucrats, Fox News Digital reported. 

An order requiring the federal government to only recognize two genders has prohibited the use of taxpayer money for "transgender services" following reports that some inmates were receiving transgender care funded by the government. Medicaid, in some states, currently covers such treatments. 

Also, under that order, federal prisons and shelters for migrants and rape victims are to be segregated by biological sex. It would block requirements at government facilities and at workplaces that transgender people be referred to using pronouns that align with their gender. Trump’s team says those requirements violate the First Amendment’s freedom of speech and religion.

The order does not issue a nationwide mandate on which bathrooms transgender people can use or which sports competitions they can participate in, though many states have passed laws in those areas.

President Donald Trump will sign an executive order to reinstate service members booted from the military for declining to get COVID-19 vaccine jabs, according to the White House.

"The Executive Order directs the Secretary of Defense to reinstate all members of the military (active and reserve) who were discharged for refusing the COVID vaccine and who request to be reinstated," according to the White House fact sheet.

The service members who are reinstated will be restored to their prior rank, and will be provided back pay and benefits, according to the fact sheet.

TROOPS DISCHARGED FOR REFUSAL OF COVID-19 VACCINE NOW HAVE A PATHWAY TO REJOIN THE MILITARY

"From 2021 to 2023, the Biden Administration and former Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin discharged over 8,000 troops solely due to their COVID-19 vaccination status," the fact sheet notes. "After the vaccine mandate was repealed in 2023, only 43 of the more than the 8,000 troops dismissed elected to return to service under the Biden Administration and Secretary Austin."

During his inauguration speech, Trump pledged to make the move.

SERVICE MEMBERS WHO REFUSED THE COVID 'JAB' WOULD GET THEIR JOBS BACK AND BACK PAY, TOO, UNDER NEW GOP BILL

"This week I will reinstate any service members who were unjustly expelled from our military for objecting to the COVID vaccine mandate, with full back pay," the president declared during remarks on Jan. 20.

During a campaign speech last year, Trump promised to rehire service members who were dismissed over the COVID-19 vaccine mandate, saying they would get back pay plus an apology from the government.

The newly inaugurated president has been signing a bevy of orders since taking office last week. 

RILEY GAINES CELEBRATES REPEAL OF COVID VACCINATION MANDATE FOR LEGAL IMMIGRANTS

Monday afternoon will mark the end of his first full week back in office since his inauguration.

The Department of Defense (DoD) is the latest agency that is disbanding all diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs following President Donald Trump's executive order terminating all federal DEI programs.

"The President’s guidance (lawful orders) is clear: No more DEI at Dept. of Defense," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote in a post on X.

In a handwritten note shared along with the post on X, Hegseth wrote: "The Pentagon will comply, immediately. No exceptions, name-changes, or delays."

Hegseth added that "those who do not comply will no longer work here." 

WHITE HOUSE OPM ORDERS ALL DEI OFFICES TO BEGIN CLOSING BY END OF DAY WEDNESDAY

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., echoed Hegseth, writing: "The best way to stop discriminating against people on the basis of race or gender is to stop discriminating against people on the basis of race or gender," Kennedy wrote in a post on X. "Let DEI die." 

Hegseth, 44, was sworn in on Saturday morning after he secured his confirmation to lead the Pentagon on Friday after weeks of intense political drama surrounding his nomination and public scrutiny into his personal life. 

"All praise and glory to God. His will be done and we're grateful to be here," Hegseth said after taking the oath of office, surrounded by his wife and children.

Hegseth is a former Minnesota National Guard officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and a former Fox News host. 

Trump’s newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed up by Elon Musk, reported that approximately $420 million in current/impending contracts, mainly focused on DEI initiatives, had also been canceled. 

On Inauguration Day, Trump signed an executive order that forced all DEI offices to close and placed all government workers in those offices on paid leave.

TRUMP'S FEDERAL DEI PURGE PUTS HUNDREDS ON LEAVE, NIXES $420M IN CONTRACTS

Acting Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Charles Ezell sent a memo to heads and acting heads of departments and agencies directing them that by the end of business on Jan. 22, they were to inform all agency employees of the DEI shutdown. In addition, they were instructed to tell workers directly involved in DEI to take down all DEI-related websites and social media accounts, cancel any related contracts or training, and ask employees to report any efforts to disguise DEI programs by using coded or imprecise language.

The memo also directed the heads of agencies and departments that by noon on Jan. 23, they were to provide OPM with lists of all DEI offices, employees, and related contracts in effect as of Nov. 5, 2024.

By Friday, Jan. 24, at 5 p.m., agency heads were required to submit to OPM a written plan for executing a reduction-in-force action regarding DEI employees and a list of all contract descriptions or personnel position descriptions that were changed since Nov. 5, 2024, to obscure their connection to DEI programs.

The president also signed an order making it "the official policy of the U.S. government to only recognize two genders: male and female."

3 IN 10 VOTERS THINK ENDING DEI PROGRAMS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, POLL SHOWS, AS FEDERAL DEADLINE LOOMS

Trump issued two other executive actions targeting DEI — an executive order to end discrimination in the workplace and higher education through race- and sex-based preferences under the guise of DEI and a memo to eliminate a Biden administration policy that prioritized DEI hiring at the Federal Aviation Administration.

In his executive order, Trump wrote that he sought to protect Americans from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin. He said these civil-rights protections "serve as a bedrock supporting equality of opportunity for all Americans" and that he "has a solemn duty to ensure that these laws are enforced for the benefit of all Americans."

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"Yet today, roughly 60 years after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, critical and influential institutions of American society, including the Federal Government, major corporations, financial institutions, the medical industry, large commercial airlines, law enforcement agencies, and institutions of higher education have adopted and actively use dangerous, demeaning, and immoral race- and sex-based preferences under the guise of so-called 'diversity, equity, and inclusion' (DEI) or 'diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility' (DEIA) that can violate the civil-rights laws of this Nation," the order reads.

It adds that these "illegal DEI and DEIA policies also threaten the safety of American men, women, and children across the Nation by diminishing the importance of individual merit, aptitude, hard work, and determination when selecting people for jobs and services in key sectors of American society, including all levels of government, and the medical, aviation, and law-enforcement communities.

Prior to Trump's order, the FBI closed its DEI office in December. 

Fox News' Brooke Singman, Brie Stimson, Michael Dorgan and Landon Mion contributed to this report. 

Retired U.S. Army Ranger Rep. Brian Mast praised President Donald Trump's plan to reinstate service members booted for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine with the brush of a pen, signaling an end to the saga that saw thousands expelled during the pandemic. 

"[It's a] great day for patriots, a great day for our service members, my brothers and sisters in arms," the Florida Republican congressman told "Fox & Friends" co-host Steve Doocy.

"Let's not forget… it wasn't just the military. It was other government agencies as well, where they were essentially washing conservatives that were raising their hand, saying, 'I don't want to take this vaccine.'

TRUMP TO REINSTATE SERVICE MEMBERS DISCHARGED FOR NOT GETTING COVID-19 VACCINE

"They were washing them out of government, washing them out of West Point and Naval Academy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine academies, washing them out from being on the next promotion boards for first sergeants, sergeants, majors or officers, and they were creating a system where the ones that were going to be giving promotion to the next classes of individuals were all going to be those that didn't say, 'No, I'm not a conservative, and you know, I'm okay with everything that you're doing right now.' That's what was taking place."

A White House fact sheet detailing the executive order says only 43 of the more than 8,000 service members discharged by the Biden administration and then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin returned to service after the vaccine mandate was repealed in 2023.

The same fact sheet says reinstated troops – both active duty and reserve – will be restored to their prior rank, and will receive back pay and benefits under Trump's order.

RILEY GAINES CELEBRATES REPEAL OF COVID VACCINATION MANDATE FOR LEGAL IMMIGRANTS

Mast introduced legislation in 2023 to require military departments to reinstate individuals upon their request who refused to receive the vaccination.

"It's going to be beautiful [to] have these individuals returning, putting on that uniform, that sense of pride for their family, that they stood up for their causes, what they believed in, and they were rewarded for it. They're returning back to the military," Mast added.

Louisiana Republican Sen. John Kennedy, who also appeared on "Fox & Friends" Monday, lauded Trump for "doing the right thing" by reinstating the troops.

"There were a lot of younger people who said, ‘This is a government vaccine, at least government-funded,’ and they don't completely trust the government, and on principle, they said, 'We don't want to take the vaccine. Dr. Fauci… he made them [take the vaccine]. He tried to establish complete control over everybody. Why did he do that? In my opinion, he was scared," he said. 

"I think we're going to find out [Dr. Fauci] was funding gain of function research in a Chinese lab, and the virus may have gotten out from the lab. Dr. Fauci saw that, and he said, 'Oh my God, I could get blamed for all this, so I'm going to have to establish complete control, so nobody has questions and nobody looks under the seat cushions.' I thought he went too far in terms of mandating the vaccine for everybody."

Signing the executive order will fulfill a promise inauguration attendees heard during Trump's address from the Capitol rotunda last Monday.

Newly-confirmed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth backed the plan during his confirmation hearings before the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this month.

Fox News' Alex Nitzberg and Peter Doocy contributed to this report.

Pete Hegseth was sworn in as defense secretary Saturday morning, declaring it an "honor of a lifetime," and he promised to put America first by bringing peace through strength. 

Hegseth, 44, a former Minnesota National Guard officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, secured the role to lead the Pentagon following weeks of intense political drama surrounding his nomination and public scrutiny into his personal life. 

"All praise and glory to God. His will be done and we're grateful to be here," an ecstatic Hegseth said after taking the oath of office, surrounded by his wife Jenny and children.

PETE HEGSETH CONFIRMED TO LEAD PENTAGON AFTER VP VANCE CASTS TIE-BREAKING VOTE

"And as I said in my hearing, it was Jesus and Jenny. I would not be here without you, sweetheart. Thank you so much."

"I want to thank the President of the United States, our commander-in-chief, Donald Trump. We could not have a better commander-in-chief than him. It is the honor of a lifetime, sir, to serve under you. We look forward to having the backs of our troops and having your back in executing peace through strength, in putting America first and in rebuilding our military."

Hegseth, a former Fox News host, also thanked Vice President JD Vance, who oversaw the swearing-in ceremony and whose deciding vote on Friday got his nomination over the line. 

The Senate was deadlocked at 50-50 with three Republicans — Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. — joining the Democrats in opposing Hegseth's confirmation.

The stalemate forced Vance to cast the tie-breaking vote, securing his confirmation.

"It's not the first time the headline reads, ‘Junior enlisted marine bails out junior Army officer,'" Hegseth joked to laughter from attendees. 

Republicans React To Pete Hegseth's Confirmation As Defense Secretary: 'He Is The Change Agent'

Vance, the first vice president to have served as a Marine, was a combat correspondent from 2003 to 2007, including a tour in Iraq, before transitioning to civilian life and attending Ohio State University. 

Trump congratulated Hegseth on Truth Social on Friday and said he "will make a great" defense secretary. Other Republicans praised his confirmation, predicting he will bring transformative change to the Pentagon.

Hegseth went on to praise veterans and those who served alongside him in the past, as well as the 1.3 million active-duty service members and the nearly 1 million civilians who work for the military which he now leads.

"The first thing that goes through my head are the guys that I served with on the battlefield, the men and women who I locked shields with, who put my life on the line with, who never get the spotlight, who never had the cameras, who people don't know what they did in dark and dangerous places," Hegseth said. 

"At the Pentagon, we're going to remember, and we're going to think about those warriors with every single decision that we make."

"We will put America first. We will bring peace through strength."

He outlined three principles that he said he will bring to the Pentagon. 

"Restore the warrior ethos in everything that we do, rebuild our military and reestablish deterrence. We don't want to fight wars, we want to deter them," Hegseth said.

"We want to end them responsibly but if we need to fight them, we're going to bring overwhelming and decisive force to close with and destroy the enemy and bring our boys home. And to my other family that's here as well, who I love, it's the honor of a lifetime."

Shortly after he was sworn in, Hegseth released a statement via the defense department website addressing members of the Pentagon. The statement addressed his three principles.

"All of this will be done with a focus on lethality, meritocracy, accountability, standards and readiness," the statement reads. 
 
"I have committed my life to warfighters and their families. Just as my fellow soldiers had my back on the battlefield, know that I will always have your back. We serve together at a dangerous time. Our enemies will neither rest nor relent. And neither will we. We will stand shoulder to shoulder to meet the urgency of this moment."
 
"Like each of you, I love my country and swore an oath to defend the Constitution. We will do that each and every day, as one team. Together, we will accomplish the President’s mission to deter war and, if necessary, defeat and destroy our enemies. Godspeed!"

Fox News’ Landon Mion contributed to this report. 

Republican lawmakers celebrated after the Senate narrowly confirmed Pete Hegseth as defense secretary on Friday.

The Senate was split 50-50, with three Republicans — Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. — joining the Democrats in opposing Hegseth's confirmation, forcing Vice President JD Vance to cast the tie-breaking vote.

After Hegseth was confirmed, GOP lawmakers praised him as a "change agent" who has a "passion for the warfighter."

"Pete has served in the Army National Guard as a front line officer, and he has a keen intellect and a passion for the warfighter," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., wrote on the social media platform X.

PETE HEGSETH CONFIRMED TO LEAD PENTAGON AFTER VP VANCE CASTS TIE-BREAKING VOTE

"He did an excellent job during a very contentious hearing and withstood all the attacks that came his way," Graham added. "He is bullish on creating a larger, more lethal military and is clear-eyed about America’s enemies, including Iran. Israel will have no better friend than Pete Hegseth."

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said he was "proud to vote to confirm Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense."

"He is the change agent that the DOD desperately needs," Cruz said.

Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin said: "We did it, America."

"It was an honor to be in the fight with my friend, and your SecDef: @PeteHegseth," he wrote. "The Hegseth family is the best!!"

"Heck yeah! @PeteHegseth is the man for the job," Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said. "I’m honored to have voted for him. We just confirmed him as the next defense secretary."

Sen. Roger Marshall wrote: "Congratulations to @PeteHegseth, our new Secretary of Defense! Pete will bring transformative change, refocusing our military on lethality and recruiting efforts. I can’t wait to see what a great job he will do."

"Pete Hegseth is the perfect fit to make our military great again and achieve peace through strength," Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., wrote. "It was an honor to support his nomination, and I look forward to seeing him restore trust in the Department of Defense by prioritizing war fighters over bureaucrats."

MCCONNELL VOTED NO ON HEGSETH AS PENTAGON HEAD, FORCING VANCE TO CAST TIEBREAKER

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., congratulated Hegseth on his confirmation and said that "Every brave service member and every American is safer with you leading the Pentagon. American strength is BACK!"

"Congratulations to our NEW secretary of defense," Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said.

Democrats, meanwhile, questioned Hegseth's credentials to lead the Pentagon ahead of his confirmation.

"Is Pete Hegseth—who failed to manage the finances of veterans’ nonprofit groups, who drove his organizations into debt to the point where he could not even pay creditors—really the person Republicans want in charge of the Pentagon’s budget?" Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., wrote on X before the vote.

Schumer also asked: "Is Pete Hegseth really the best Republicans have to lead the greatest military in the world?"

"Our troops deserve better than someone as erratic and unqualified as Pete Hegseth," he added.

Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., said: "We deserve a Secretary of Defense with solid experience, sound judgment, and good character. Pete Hegseth does not meet the test."

Hegseth, a former Fox News host, had faced questions ahead of his confirmation over his infidelity, allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking, his previous comments opposing women serving in combat roles in the military and his leadership abilities.

Married three times, Hegseth has admitted he was a "serial cheater" before he became a Christian and married his current wife, Jenny. He also originally said he opposed women in combat, before later saying that he only opposes standards for women in combat that are different from those for men. Hegseth has additionally denied the sexual assault allegations and has said he would abstain from alcohol as defense secretary. 

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was one of three Republicans to vote on Friday against Pete Hegseth, who was narrowly confirmed as defense secretary in the new Trump administration.

The other Republican "no" votes came from moderates Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, forcing Vice President JD Vance to break the 50-50 tie to confirm President Donald Trump's choice to lead the Pentagon.

"The most consequential cabinet official in any Administration is the Secretary of Defense," McConnell wrote, explaining his opposition to Hegseth. "In the face of the gravest threats to U.S. national security interests since World War II, this position is even more important today."

"Major adversaries are working closer together to undermine U.S. interests around the world," he said. "And America’s military capabilities and defense industrial capacity are increasingly insufficient to deter or prevail in major conflict with China or Russia, especially given the real risk of simultaneous challenges from other adversaries like Iran or North Korea."

PETE HEGSETH CONFIRMED TO LEAD PENTAGON AFTER VP VANCE CASTS TIE-BREAKING VOTE

Hegseth, a former Fox News host, had faced questions ahead of his confirmation over his infidelity, allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking, his previous comments opposing women serving in combat roles in the military and his leadership abilities.

Married three times, Hegseth has admitted he was a "serial cheater" before he became a Christian and married his current wife, Jenny. He also originally said he opposed women in combat, before later saying that he only opposes standards for women in combat that are different from those for men. Hegseth has additionally denied the sexual assault allegations and has said he would abstain from alcohol as defense secretary. 

McConnell said "dust on boots" in reference to Hegseth's military service "fails even to distinguish this nominee from multiple predecessors of the last decade. Nor is it a precondition for success. Secretaries with distinguished combat experience and time in the trenches have failed at the job."

"Effective management of nearly 3 million military and civilian personnel, an annual budget of nearly $1 trillion, and alliances and partnerships around the world is a daily test with staggering consequences for the security of the American people and our global interests," the senator said. "Mr. Hegseth has failed, as yet, to demonstrate that he will pass this test. But as he assumes office, the consequences of failure are as high as they have ever been."

MODERATE REPUBLICAN MURKOWSKI WON'T BACK TRUMP PICK HEGSETH FOR DEFENSE SECRETARY

McConnell stressed that Hegseth, in his testimony before the Armed Services Committee, "did not reckon with this reality" that the U.S. "faces coordinated aggression from adversaries bent on shattering the order underpinning American security and prosperity."

"President Trump has rightly called on NATO allies to spend more on our collective defense. But the nominee who would have been responsible for leading that effort wouldn’t even commit to growing America’s defense investment beyond the low bar set by the Biden Administration’s budget requests," McConnell said.

The senator also said Hegseth's testimony lacked "substantial observations on how to defend Taiwan or the Philippines against a Chinese attack, or even whether he believes the United States should do so." McConnell said Hegseth failed "to articulate in any detail a strategic vision for dealing with the gravest long-term threat emanating" from China.

McConnell additionally noted a lack of "substantive discussion" of "countering our adversaries’ alignment with deeper alliance relationships and more extensive defense industrial cooperation of our own."

"This, of course, is due to change," McConnell said. "As the 29th Secretary of Defense, Mr. Hegseth will be immediately tested by ongoing conflicts caused by Russian aggression in Europe and Iranian-backed terror in the Middle East. He will have to grapple with an unfinished FY25 appropriations process that – without his intervention – risks further harming the readiness of our forces."

"By all accounts, brave young men and women join the military with the understanding that it is a meritocracy," he added. "This precious trust endures only as long as lawful civilian leadership upholds what must be a firewall between servicemembers and politics. The Biden Administration failed at this fundamental task. But the restoration of ‘warrior culture’ will not come from trading one set of culture warriors for another."

Marine Staff Sgt. Lexus Martinez described her experience dancing with Vice President JD Vance at the Commander in Chief Ball as a "once-in-a-lifetime" moment, one filled with excitement and a bit of nervousness.

"It was very nerve-wracking," Martinez, 27, shared during an interview on "Fox & Friends" Friday. "I felt a little better when I saw everyone. And he just made me feel better."

Martinez recalled how Vance helped ease her nerves backstage with a lighthearted joke. 

"I was so nervous; I stayed very far away from him, so I didn’t step on his feet," she said. "That’s exactly what he said backstage was ‘I hope you don’t step on my feet’ and I said ‘Well, I hope you teach me how to dance."

JD VANCE SPELLS OUT WHAT TRUMP'S PROCESS TO 'RECTIFY' 'UNFAIR' JAN 6 PROSECUTIONS COULD LOOK LIKE

Martinez was chosen from hundreds of applicants for the honor. Her family was stunned when they found out she would take part in the prestigious event.

"Everyone just didn’t think I would have the opportunity," she said. "They all were just really excited. Everyone was tuned in, telling everyone, sharing to everyone how it was for me."

PRESIDENT TRUMP SPEAKS AT THE LIBERTY BALL: 'GOING TO TURN OUR COUNTRY AROUND FAST'

During the dance, Martinez and Vance bonded over their shared service in the Marine Corps. 

Vance, the first vice president to have served as a Marine, was a combat correspondent from 2003 to 2007, including a tour in Iraq, before transitioning to civilian life and attending Ohio State University.

The Commander in Chief Ball, a traditional part of inauguration celebrations, honors military service members. President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and second lady Usha Vance also danced with service members during the event. 

Trump addressed the audience with gratitude, saying "I've had no higher privilege in life than to serve as your commander in chief, not once but twice." 

He thanked service members for their contributions, noting their role in helping him return to the White House. 

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The president also highlighted the creation of the Space Force during his first term, calling it a significant addition to the military. 

Reflecting on the dance, Martinez said the moment was surreal and deeply meaningful. 

"I’m very proud [to be a Marine] because not a lot of people can do it," she said. "I’m very excited to know that I’m one of the few and the proud to be a United States Marine."

Multiple veterans groups sent a letter to President Donald Trump on Thursday, urging him to reconsider a recent executive order regarding immigration and refugee programs, citing concerns about the safety of Afghan interpreters and their families who helped the U.S. military.

The executive order, the Realigning the United States Refugee Program, will go into effect on Monday and suspend the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP).

Trump's order immediately pauses all processing and movements for USRAP refugees, who are referred due to threats from their association with the U.S. - such as family members of service members, and Afghan partner forces.

Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs), people who directly worked for or supported the U.S. government - which includes interpreters and contractors, do not appear to be directly impacted. 

2 AMERICANS RELEASED IN EXCHANGE FOR TALIBAN PRISONER

They could, however, be indirectly affected by implementation decisions or additional orders, according to #AfghanEvac, a non-profit that helps facilitate relocation and resettlement of Afghan U.S. allies. 

The veterans groups wanted to highlight "unintended consequences" of the order, claiming it could adversely affect the mental health of countless veterans.

The letter, obtained by Fox News, discussed the bonds many service members and veterans formed with Afghan partners who supported the global war on terror, often at great personal risk to themselves and their families.

"The current suspension of certain pathways for these allies may unintentionally penalize individuals who could be eligible for Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) but do not currently hold them — not because they do not meet the qualifications, but because of the chaotic and disorganized nature of the withdrawal from Afghanistan under the previous administration," the letter read. 

The groups said they "fully support" Trump's goal of prioritizing American security, but believe there is a clear opportunity to address the issue without harm to Afghan partners.

The executive order argues that the entry of additional refugees would be "detrimental to the interests of the United States," but notes the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security can jointly make exceptions and admit refugees on a case-by-case basis when in the national interest, and there is no threat to America’s security or welfare.

Noting concerns about Afghan partners being deported "erroneously," the groups said the partners' immediate family members, who face serious threats from the Taliban may lose their hopes of safe passage.

GOLD STAR FAMILIES DEVASTATED BY BIDEN'S BOTCHED AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL ENDORSE HEGSETH FOR SECDEF

They asked the president to consider SIV-eligible allies and their families, to prevent them from being "inadvertently cast aside due to lapses that occurred under the botched withdrawal," according to the letter. 

"This approach would protect those who have risked their lives for our country while reinforcing your administration’s clear commitment to national security," they wrote.

USRAP has no impact on illegal immigration, according to #AfghanEvac. Refugees must be vetted before entering the U.S., and crossing the border without authorization voids their eligibility.

Chad Robichaux, a U.S. Marine Corps force recon veteran and Department of Defense contractor, told Fox News he spent years of his life protecting American lives domestically and internationally, but the sacrifice was not made solely by U.S. service members.

"Afghan interpreters risked their lives for two decades alongside us to defeat the evils of the Taliban," Robichaux said. "When Afghanistan fell, I personally went to rescue my interpreter Aziz from the clutches of that very evil, delivering him to American soil. President Trump is honorably taking strong steps to keep this hallowed soil safe. But in doing so, [it] places these same Afghans in jeopardy. These Afghan Allies have demonstrated more patriotic courage than some of our own citizens, and I am asking for their due protection in the midst of these sweeping security measures."

The suspension effectively leaves thousands of Afghan allies stranded in limbo, according to #AfghanEvac. The organization claims at least 10 to 15,000 individuals are fully vetted and awaiting flights in Afghanistan, Pakistan and other countries.

TRUMP ORDER PUTS THOUSANDS OF AFGHAN ALLIES WAITING FOR US RESETTLEMENT IN LIMBO

Groups that signed the letter included: Save Our Allies; Sheepdog Response; The Verardo Group; The Independence Fund; Diesel Jack Media; Special Operations Association of America; and Mighty Oaks Foundation.

Tim Kennedy - a Green Beret, former UFC fighter, founder of Sheepdog Response, and president of Save Our Allies - told Fox News it is the nation's duty to protect its allies.

"I’ve served with the most patriotic heroes our nation has to offer. I’ve watched them brilliantly and valiantly sacrifice life and limb to protect the United States," Kennedy said. "Among those patriots are the Afghan men who risked threat and brutality from the Taliban to defend the freedom and American ideals we hold dear."

There are still 150,000 to 250,000 Afghans seeking settlement, according to #AfghanEvac. An estimated 40,000 to 60,000 are refugees under USRAP.

"The Biden administration is responsible for our blood-soaked exit from Afghanistan," Kennedy said. "The Allies we served beside didn’t receive the promise we offered them. I applaud the necessary and exemplary efforts President Trump is making to secure our country from foreign threats, but it is our duty to protect and preserve the sanctity of our promise to those Afghan allies. In many cases, we owe them our lives, and we must let this be their home."

Since the end of the war in 2021, some 180,000 Afghans have resettled in the U.S., Fox News Digital reported.

Many of those who are still waiting for refugee approval are hiding out in Pakistan, fearful of deportation back to Afghanistan.

Daniel Elkins, CEO of Special Operations Association of America, said he is "certain there would be more Americans in Arlington cemetery if it weren’t for Afghans who risked their lives to help us, and now is the time for us to help them."

Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Fox News he looks forward to continuing to work with Save Our Allies as they advocate for all Afghan allies former President Joe Biden "abandoned."

"Unlike President Biden who consistently dismissed pleas from veterans and service members to help their Afghan allies, President Trump cares about America's veterans and service members and will listen to them," McCaul said.

The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment Thursday night.

Fox News Digital's Morgan Phillips contributed to this story.

Pete Hegseth cleared a procedural hurdle Thursday for a final Senate vote to advance his confirmation to lead the Department of Defense, setting up a high-stakes showdown.

A motion to invoke cloture, or begin up to 30 hours of debate, passed 51-49. Republican Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, voted no on advancing Hegseth's confirmation, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., voted yes. 

Hegseth’s nomination was dealt another hurdle this week when reports emerged that his ex-sister-in-law alleged that Hegseth had abused his second wife. 

Two sources told CNN Hegseth’s ex-wife, Samantha Hegseth, gave a statement to the FBI about Hegseth’s alleged alcohol use. The outlet said one of the sources said Samantha Hegseth told the FBI, "He drinks more often than he doesn’t."

On Tuesday, Fox News obtained an affidavit from Hegseth's former sister-in-law, Danielle Hegseth, which alleges he has an alcohol abuse problem and at times made his ex-wife, Samantha, fear for her safety. Danielle Hegseth was previously married to Pete Hegseth's brother and has no relation to Samantha.

KEY SENATE CHAIRMAN CRITICIZES 'ANONYMOUS SOURCES WITH ULTERIOR MOTIVES,' STANDS BY HEGSETH NOMINATION

But Danielle Hegseth added that she never witnessed any abuse herself, physical or sexual, by Pete against Samantha. 

Samantha Hegseth has also denied any physical abuse in a statement to NBC News.

Senate Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker said in a statement Wednesday night that reports "regarding a confidential briefing on the FBI background investigation of Pete Hegseth that I received last week are starkly and factually inaccurate" and that he stands by Hegseth’s nomination.

"It is disturbing that a sensitive, longstanding process used by committee leadership to vet presidential personnel is being litigated in the press by anonymous sources with ulterior motives," Wicker said, adding that he has been briefed by the FBI three times about a background check into Hegseth.

The new reporting came after a slew of reports damaging to Hegseth’s character, including a sexual assault allegation that he denies and reports about his alleged penchant for drinking and financial mismanagement. Hegseth has said he would abstain from alcohol if confirmed. 

Hegseth is expected to face one of the most vicious confirmation fights of any Trump Cabinet nominee. His confirmation hearing was heavy on personal character questions and interrogation over his opposition to female-specific standards for women in combat and light on policy inquiries. 

HEGSETH LAWYER SLAMS ‘FLAWED AND QUESTIONABLE AFFIDAVIT’ FROM EX-SISTER-IN-LAW

Earlier Thursday, Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., urged Republicans to join him in opposing the former Fox News host and Army national guardsman. 

"Hegseth is so utterly unqualified, he ranks up there [as] … one of the very worst nominees that could be put forward," Schumer said.

"People's lives depend on it — civilians and, of course, the men and women in the armed services — and Pete Hegseth has shown himself not only incapable of running a large organization, he often shows himself incapable of showing up or showing up in a way where he could get anything done. He is so out of the mainstream and so unqualified for DOD that I am hopeful we will get our Republican colleagues to join us. There will be a vote this afternoon."

Hegseth, who has been married three times, has admitted he was a "serial cheater" before he became a Christian and married his current wife, Jenny. 

The 44-year-old Army National Guard veteran, who did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, is relatively young and inexperienced, compared to defense secretaries in the past, retiring as a major. But Republicans say they don’t want someone who made it to the top brass who’s become entrenched in the Pentagon establishment. 

Hegseth has made it clear that he will work to fight "woke" programs in the Pentagon that promote diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). He originally said he opposed women in combat, before later clarifying that he only opposes standards for women in combat that are different from those for men. 

"I’m straight up just saying that we should not have women in combat roles," Hegseth said on the "Shawn Ryan Show" podcast. "It hasn’t made us more effective, hasn’t made us more lethal, has made fighting more complicated."

In 2019, he successfully lobbied Trump to pardon three service members convicted or accused of war crimes in Afghanistan and Iraq. 

Trump may have looked ahead to sparing himself the headache this role caused him during his first administration. Only Jim Mattis and Mark Esper lasted more than a year. Three others served in an acting capacity. Hegseth is more likely to align himself with Trump's goals for the department. 

Fox News' Stephen Sorace, Julia Johnson and Tyler Olson contributed to this report. 

EXCLUSIVE: The Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard has been terminated over concerns about the border, recruitment and an "erosion of trust," a senior DHS official confirmed to Fox News.

Adm. Linda Lee Fagan, 61, has been terminated by the Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Benjamine Huffman, the official said.

Fagan has demonstrated leadership deficiencies, operational failures and an inability to advance the strategic objectives of the Coast Guard.

These include the failure to address border security threats, insufficient leadership in recruitment and retention, mismanagement in acquiring key acquisitions such as icebreakers and helicopters, excessive focus on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and an "erosion of trust" over the mishandling and cover-up of Operation Fouled Anchor, which was the Coast Guard's internal investigation into sexual assault cases at the Coast Guard Academy.

RETIRED COAST GUARD HELICOPTER COMMANDER DETAILS RISKS TO AIR CREWS FIGHTING LA FIRES

Fagan is accused of ineffective deployment of Coast Guard assets to support national border security, including in intercepting fentanyl and other illicit substances. She also had insufficient coordination with DHS to prioritize operations along maritime borders.

The DHS official said Fagan had significant failures in recruiting personnel, which worsened issues related to operational readiness. The official added that the lack of innovative strategies to address retention struggles in critical specialties weakened workforce sustainability.

Under her leadership, there were also persistent delays and cost overruns in acquiring essential platforms, including icebreakers and helicopters, that the official said undermined Coast Guard capabilities in the Arctic and other strategic regions. The official further cited inadequate accountability for acquisition failures that were highlighted during President Trump's first administration.

Fagan also made DEI policies a priority, including at the Coast Guard Academy, which diverted resources and focus from operational essentials.

6 SUSPECTS ALLEGEDLY INVOLVED IN DEADLY HUMAN SMUGGLING INCIDENTS OVER THE PAST WEEK, COAST GUARD SAYS

In Operation Fouled Anchor, the cover-up of sexual assaults at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy "deeply eroded trust" in the Coast Guard among the American public, the U.S. Congress and the military. The Coast Guard did not disclose the existence of Operation Fouled Anchor until 2023, despite its existence from 2014 to 2019.

Fagan was grilled by senators over the summer when she testified at a hearing on Capitol Hill, where she was questioned for not holding anyone accountable for the cover-up and withholding additional documents congressional lawmakers requested about the mishandling of the problem at the service’s academy.

The official said the failure to sufficiently address the systemic issues revealed by the investigation has highlighted a "leadership culture" unwilling to ensure accountability and transparency in protecting service members.

Fagan served as the 27th Commandant of the Coast Guard starting on June 1st, 2022. She was tasked with overseeing all global Coast Guard operations and 42,000 active-duty, 7,000 reserve and 8,700 civilian personnel, as well as the support of 21,000 Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteers.

She was the first woman to lead the Coast Guard or any branch of the U.S. military.

A former fighter pilot will serve as the next U.S. undersecretary of the Air Force, President-elect Trump announced Friday night.

Lt. Col. Matthew Lohmeier, a former U.S. Space Force commander, appeared on Fox News to discuss military readiness in July, after claiming he was fired for criticizing the "Marxist" DEI complex.

Lohmeier, a 2006 graduate of the Air Force Academy, was in the military for more than a decade before joining the Space Force in 2020, where he specialized in missile warning systems.

SPACE FORCE COMMANDER WHO SAYS HE LOST PENSION FOR CRITICIZING DEI IN MILITARY OPENS UP ON BEING ‘BETRAYED’

He was fired less than a year later, losing his pension, after appearing on "The Steve Gruber Show" to discuss his bestselling book, "Irresistible Revolution: Marxism's Goal of Conquest & the Unmaking of the American Military."

Lohmeier was relieved of his command and subjected to an inspector general investigation launched by the Pentagon, according to a biography posted on Congress.gov.

After separating from active duty in September 2021, he became a public speaker and consultant on "matters of Marxist ideology and tactics, CRT, military culture, and the preservation of liberty," according to the biography.

Trump commended Lohmeier in the nomination announcement, writing Lohmeier "devoted his life to serving our Great Nation."

"Matthew will work with the GREAT Secretary of Defense Nominee, Pete Hegseth, to end the devastating "woke" policies that have destroyed our Military, and make our Country STRONG AGAIN," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Congratulations Matthew!"

Lohmeier responded on X, thanking Trump for the nomination.

"I’m grateful for your trust, and am very much looking forward to continuing my service to our great men and women in uniform," he wrote. "To all men and women with a desire to serve your country in uniform, come join us now! We want the best, brightest, and strongest of you at this critical juncture in American history."

Lohmeier has master's degrees in military operational art and science, and military strategy, according to his biography. He lives with his wife and children in Idaho.

Department of Defense officials told Fox News Digital on Saturday "it would be inappropriate to comment on the President-elect’s nominees for Department of Defense leadership roles."

The Space Force did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital requests for comment.

Fox News Digital's Hannah Grossman and Alba Cuebas-Fantauzzi contributed to this story.