In a news release posted on Facebook, Joint Task Force North said Hegseth will visit Fort Bliss on Monday, Feb. 3 and the local area "to see the efforts of military men and women are undertaking in support of U.S. Customs and Border Protection activities to secure the border." Media advisory from the Joint Task Force North Public Affairs Office.

A Princeton and Harvard-educated former combat veteran, Hegseth went on to make a career at Fox News, where he hosted a weekend show. Trump tapped him as the defense secretary to lead an organization with nearly 2.1 million service members, about 780,000 civilians and a budget of $850 billion.

Vice President Vance cast a tie-breaking vote as Hegseth overcame allegations of sexual assault, public drunkenness and questions of financial mismanagement to win Senate approval.

President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth meets with U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) (not pictured), on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., December 10, 2024. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.

Hegseth plans to visit with U.S. troops on the southern border in El Paso, Texas, according to a post he made on X. "POTUS wants 100% operational control of the border and we will deliver," Hegseth wrote.