Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday visited Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to speak with American troops and tour the facilities holding illegal aliens before deportation.
“Arrived at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay on the front lines of the war against America’s southern border. The protection of the United States’ sovereign territory is @DeptofDefense mission and we’ve moved swiftly to implement the Commander-in-Chief’s E.O.’s on border security,” Hegseth posted on X on arriving.
Hegseth spoke with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and Marines who are implementing President Donald Trump’s order to detain criminal migrants at detention facilities at the base.
The facilities have been used for decades to detain migrants, including under former President Bill Clinton.
“This is a critical temporary stop in processing these dangerous illegal aliens for eventual removal from our country,” Hegseth posted.
During his visit, he witnessed the arrival of more illegal aliens. He posted, “@Deptofdefense is proud to partner with @DHSgov and @ICEgov to remove those who have infringed on our territorial sovereignty.”
It is not clear how many illegal aliens were on that flight.
On Sunday, 17 illegal aliens aged 23 to 62 were flown in from El Paso, according to The New York Times‘ Carol Rosenberg. Seven men were from Honduras, four from Colombia, three from El Salvador, two from Guatemala and one from Ecuador, according to Times.
Previously, the Migrant Operations Center has held 178 other men, all Venezuelans, on the base, according to Rosenberg. One hundred and seventy-seven were sent back to Venezuela.
Deputy Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson posted a video from the Migrant Operations Center, revealing a room with a window and beds, mattresses, air conditioning, a fan, a refrigerator, linens, slippers, and other amenities.
A rapid response account for the Department of Defense posted that video, along with: “Dear Legacy media that has been lying that illegal aliens are being held in ‘inhumane’ conditions. Please refer to the TRUTH below.”
Asked Tuesday about a Washington Post report citing three men who were detained there who claimed they were subjected to inhumane conditions, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said:
It’s a promise the President campaigned on, that if you invade our nation’s borders, if you break our country’s laws, and if then you further commit heinous, brutal crimes in the interior of our country, like raping and murdering innocent law abiding women and girls and committing heinous acts of violence, then you are going to be deported from this country and you may be held at Guantanamo Bay. These are criminals we are talking about. Don’t forget that.
Also during his visit, Hegseth met with numerous troops stationed at the base, thanking them and their families for carrying out the mission.
He also visited with the crew of the USS Thomas Hudner, an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer that deployed earlier this month from Naval Station Mayport, Florida.
Previously, the Hudner deployed for eight months to the U.S. Naval Forces Europe – Africa area of operations. During that deployment, the Hudner was assigned to the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group and served as an air defense unit for the strike group off the coast of Israel.
Hegseth got on the ship’s main circuit — or announcement system — to thank the crew, saying:
On behalf of the Commander in Chief, on behalf of President Donald Trump, I want to thank you for everything you do for our nation, for our republic, for the security of so many Americans who are grateful for what you do in far off places in the middle of the night with a high threat level and a lot of uncertainty, sometimes with a mission that’s clear, sometimes for the mission that’s not so clear, and no matter what you execute.
And I am humbled to have the opportunity to help lead you, to give advice to the commander in chief and to make sure that when you are put in harm’s way, you are given absolutely everything you need to overwhelm and destroy the enemy, hopefully to deter them. So we don’t have to fight these wars, but when we do that, we have overwhelming capabilities. It’s not a fair fight. You’re trained properly with the equipment that you need. You’re as lethal as possible so that we can end the fight, and bring you home to those you love.
Hegseth, a retired Army National Guard major, served at Guantanamo Bay from May 11, 2004, to May 4, 2005, as part of Operation Enduring Freedom as a second lieutenant. He later deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.
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