politics
April 3, 2026
Hegseth says he will let troops take personal firearms onto military bases
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday that he will allow service members to carry personal weapons onto military installations, citing the Second Amendment and recent shootings at bases across the country.
TL;DR
- Service members will be permitted to carry personal weapons onto military installations.
- The decision is based on the Second Amendment and recent shootings on military bases.
- Requests to carry privately owned firearms will be approved with the presumption of necessity for personal protection.
- Denials of requests must be detailed and in writing.
- Previous policy largely restricted personal firearms on base, designating them as 'gun-free zones' outside of specific activities.
- Recent shootings on bases, including Fort Hood and Fort Stewart, influenced the policy change.
- Gun violence prevention advocates warn of potential increases in gun suicide and violence.
- The policy change is part of broader shifts by Hegseth, who has challenged 'woke' policies and reformed other military standards.
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