Pete Hegseth signs memo opening door for troops to carry personal firearms on bases | 2 April 2026 | War Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo on Thursday ordering a major shift in base security policy, allowing service members to request permission to carry personal firearms for self-defense amid growing concerns about threats on U.S. installations. In an announcement on social media, Hegseth said all American citizens have a God-given right under the Second Amendment to carry weapons for protection. However, he said that right has not been extended to uniformed service members, who are “trained at the highest and unwavering standards.” Citing recent tragedies at Fort Stewart, Holloman Air Force Base, and Pensacola Naval Air Station, Hegseth said the incidents have “made clear” that “some threats are closer to home than we would like.”