Pete Hegseth’s motorcade stirred a cloud of dust around dozens of troops and border agents waiting in the desert to greet the new defense secretary. It was his first visit to the U.S-Mexico border and the 30-foot steel border fence loomed tall behind him as he shook hands.

President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth meets with U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) (not pictured), on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., December 10, 2024. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.

Pete Hegseth's visit comes as encounters with immigrants at the southern border have decreased by 93%, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.