U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attended an event in Iowa on Monday honoring two Iowa soldiers killed in an Iranian strike in Kuwait earlier this year. Hegseth also addressed policy changes at the Department of Defense during a campaign stop for Republican Rep. Zach Nunn at the Iowa State Fair.
The event, titled ‘Operation Top Nunn: Salute to the Troops,’ served as a fundraiser for veterans support organizations and was originally scheduled for March but postponed following the deaths of Major Jeffrey O’Brien, 45, and Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20, in the March 1 strike. Both soldiers were assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command based in Des Moines.
Hegseth, who has served as Defense Secretary under President Donald Trump’s second term, used the occasion to highlight what he described as a ‘day and night difference’ in military policy. He emphasized ‘training, lethality, accountability, discipline, and readiness’ as the department’s core priorities, framing these changes as part of a broader shift toward ‘colorblind, gender-neutral, merit-based’ standards. Hegseth also reiterated the administration’s stance that the U.S.-Iran conflict was necessary to protect Americans, while condemning the deaths of the Iowa soldiers.
During his remarks, Hegseth referred to anti-DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) policies as part of these changes, stating, ‘At the Department of War, we do training, not tries,’* a slur targeting transgender individuals. The Pentagon has not immediately responded to requests for comment on the remarks.
Hegseth’s appearance at the event, held at JR’s Southpork Ranch, marked an unusual instance of a sitting defense secretary campaigning for a political candidate. The event was co-hosted by Nunn, a Republican U.S. Representative and colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, who has served in Congress since 2023. Nunn’s 2024 re-election victory was decided by a narrow four-point margin, according to the Cook Political Report, which rates his seat as ‘lean Republican.’
The Iowa State Fair event follows Hegseth’s recent travel to South Carolina for the renaming of Joint Base Charleston to Joint Base Lindsey Graham, a ceremony attended by Sen. Darline Graham, sister of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham. Hegseth’s itinerary also included stops in other battleground states as part of a broader effort by Trump administration officials to support GOP candidates ahead of the 2024 elections.
Iowa’s political landscape remains competitive, with two U.S. House seats—held by Nunn and Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks—considered highly contested. Miller-Meeks, who has represented Iowa’s 1st District since 2021, faces a rematch against Democrat Christine Bohannan, whom she defeated by 798 votes in 2024. The Cook Political Report rates Miller-Meeks’ seat as a ‘toss-up.’ Additionally, Iowa has competitive races for U.S. Senate and governor in the upcoming election.
The Pentagon has not provided further details on the policy changes discussed by Hegseth, including the renaming of the Department of Defense to the ‘Department of War’ and the implications for military personnel policies.