Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will visit Fort Bliss and the southern border on Monday, Feb. 3, Fort Bliss announced.
Hegseth will visit Joint Task Force North, which is headquartered at Fort Bliss. This organization is part of U.S. Northern Command. Both have been providing support to the border mission with joint reception, staging, movement and training activities when troops arrive at Fort Bliss for the border mission.
Fort Bliss said Hegseth will host a media event and is here to “see the efforts military men and women are undertaking in support of U.S. Customs and Border Protection activities to secure the southern border.”
During the first two weeks of President Donald Trump’s new administration, he has issued a slew of executive orders, many dealing with the border.
Fort Bliss said last week it has received about 750 active-duty forces that are part of the 1,500 Army and Marine Corps troops deploying to the southern border. They augment about 2,500 U.S. service members who are already deployed along the border, Fort Bliss said.
About 100 soldiers from Fort Bliss’ 202nd Military Police Company will also deploy along the border and will be under the direction of Northern Command and JTF-N.
“Whatever is needed at the border will be provided,” Hegseth said on Jan. 27. “The
Defense Department will support the defense of the territorial integrity of the United States of
America’s southern border, including reservists, National Guardsmen and active-duty (personnel)
in compliance with the Constitution and the laws of our land, and the directives of the
commander in chief.”