Pete Hegseth chairs Pentagon's new Homeland Defense Board for improved security

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will chair the Pentagon’s new Homeland Defense Board, a senior advisory committee that will focus on protecting the United States from domestic threats. The board was announced in the Federal Register on Sept. 11 and is the first department‑wide panel dedicated to homeland security and defense. Hegseth will lead a group of senior military, intelligence and emergency‑management officials, meeting quarterly to advise the secretary on coordination across agencies.

The move comes after a series of high‑profile incidents that highlighted gaps in the nation’s domestic protection strategy. In 2023 and 2024, cyber attacks crippled power grids in several states, and a surge in extremist violence prompted calls for tighter integration between the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA. Lawmakers have repeatedly warned that the current siloed approach leaves the country vulnerable to natural disasters, ransomware, and coordinated attacks on critical infrastructure. The new board is intended to close those gaps by offering a single point of view inside the Pentagon.

The board will consist of 13 members, including the heads of U.S. Cyber Command, the Army’s Corps of Engineers, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Response Coordination Center. It will report directly to the secretary and work with the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy on implementation. In a statement, Hegseth said the board “will bring together the expertise we need to protect America at home, from cyber threats to climate‑driven emergencies.” Congressional leaders from both parties welcomed the initiative, saying it could improve inter‑agency communication and speed up decision‑making.

The Homeland Defense Board is slated to convene its first meeting in early November, with a preliminary report due to the secretary by the end of the year. The report will outline recommendations for joint training, resource sharing and a unified response framework. If adopted, the board’s guidance could reshape how the Pentagon and its civilian partners plan for and respond to domestic crises, potentially tightening the nation’s overall security posture.