Secretary Of War Pete Hegseth Blasts Russia In Latest Address

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth did not hold his tongue when it came to his thoughts on Russia.

Hegseth, while addressing members of the Navy on Monday, shared that the United States’ latest military actions in Venezuela sent a major warning to Russia and China not to test the United States.

The Secretary of War also joked about how useless Venezuela’s air defense systems from Russia were during the U.S. operation.

The South China Morning Post reported more on Hegseth’s comments:

US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth delivered a stark warning to China and Russia on Monday, declaring that the United States is rebuilding military dominance to a level so absolute that its enemies would “not dare” test it.

Addressing shipyard workers and naval personnel at Newport News Shipbuilding, the nation’s largest military shipyard, Hegseth pointed to the recent US military operation in Venezuela as evidence of renewed American military readiness and the limits of non-American defence technology.

“We’re re-establishing deterrence that’s so absolute and so unquestioned that our enemies will not dare to test us,” Hegseth said. He added that under previous US administrations, the world had begun “wondering” whether America was still strong enough to lead. “Well, that’s over now,” he concluded.

Hegseth, a former Fox News anchor appointed by US President Donald Trump to lead the Pentagon, cited last weekend’s US military action in Venezuela, which ended with the arrest of Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, quipping that it “seems those Russian air defences didn’t quite work so well”.

Venezuela’s integrated air defence system is built mainly on Russian technology, including S-300VM and Buk-M2E systems.

Watch Hegseth here:

🚨 BREAKING: U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY MOCKS PUTIN OVER FAILED RUSSIAN AIR DEFENSES

“Three nights ago, in downtown Caracas in Venezuela, nearly 200 of our greatest Americans went downtown in Caracas, seems those Russian air defenses didn’t work quite so well, did they?” the defense… pic.twitter.com/N05kZvHOKJ

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) January 5, 2026

AA reported Hegseth, during his address, also revealed that 200 members of the military were involved in the Venezuela operation:

Nearly 200 US forces were in the capital Caracas for Venezuela operation to capture President Nicolas Maduro, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday.

“As nearly 200 of our greatest Americans went downtown in Caracas.

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“Seems those Russian air defenses didn’t work so well, did they?” Hegseth said at an event in Newport News, Virginia.

President Donald Trump said US military action on Saturday had resulted in the capture of Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, also pledging to assert American control over the country for the time being, with US troops if necessary.

Hegseth said the forces “grabbed an indicted individual wanted by American justice in support of law enforcement, without a single American killed.”

Any reflections?