Pete Hegseth used a speech to senior military leaders in Virginia to criticise US news organisations, accusing them of politically motivated coverage of the Iran war and calling it a “national betrayal”. He also announced a new Pentagon command focused on autonomous warfare, intended to help the US develop and deploy drones and robotic systems more quickly.

The Autonomous Warfare Command, or AutoWarCom, is expected to be operating by October 2027, with an eventual four-star officer in charge; two officials will lead it in the interim. Hegseth also named Elon Musk, Anduril founder Palmer Luckey and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich to study future warfare, with a report due within 120 days. The initiative reflects growing military interest in relatively inexpensive drones, drawing in part on their use in Ukraine and the Middle East.