Donald Trump’s secretary of war, Pete Hegseth, has unveiled an advert for the military during the “Freedom 250” UFC fight on the White House lawn, with a voiceover from president claiming that the most important thing for the military will be the wars the US “never get into”..
“We will measure our success not only by the battles we win, but also by the wars we end, and perhaps most importantly, the wars we never get into – it’s called peace through strength,” the president says.
The ad, which aired on TV and on social media, shows members of the armed forces jumping out of planes, invading beaches, and pointing guns, all to a cinematic score. Despite the president’s call for “peace,” the secretary captioned the video: “Join. The. Fight.”
The ad calling for people to join the military aired on the same day that the president announced a peace deal with Iran.
Trump posted about the ad on Truth Social saying: “This Sunday Night, during the historic Freedom 250 UFC Fight at the White House, The Department of War will debut their first TV Ad, entitled “Peace Through Strength.” WATCH IT BELOW. The Warrior Ethos is BACK at the War Department, and we call on our greatest young Americans to join our Great Fighting (when necessary!) Machine. President DONALD J. TRUMP”
The president’s peacekeeping mantra, “peace through strength,” is the belief that the U.S. can build its military capacity without enacting military intervention. After re-taking office in January, 2025, and pledging not to join any “forever wars,” the U.S. military under Trump as Commander in Chief has kidnapped the president of Venezuela and launched a war with Iran.
The war with Iran has torn a rift in the MAGA wing of the GOP, with several former vocal Trump supporters such as Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly, criticising the president for reneging on his commitment to peace. They also accused the president of siding with Israel in the conflict as opposed to putting America first.
The president stated in the video that the military is reaching “records for recruitment.” The military under Trump has raised the recruitment age from 35 to 42, and has removed certain criminal convictions from being barriers to entry, including drug paraphernalia and marijuana convictions.
A voiceover from Hegseth states that the military will act “decisively, devastatingly, and without mercy.” Hegseth has fired several top lawyers for the military, saying that he wants to overhaul the current rules of engagement for a more lenient approach to what is and is not legal in the battlefield.
The president announced a peace deal with Iran on Sunday, stating on Truth Social: “The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all! I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade. Ships of the World, start your engines. Let the oil flow! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
He made this announcement while attending the White House’s UFC match for the “Freedom 250” celebrations which coincided with the president’s 80th birthday. The peace deal was signed after weeks of halting negotiations in Pakistan and Qatar. The official peace document will be signed on June 19 in Switzerland.
