CARLISLE, Pennsylvania — Minutes after giving a policy-rich address to senior-level military students, faculty, and staff at the Army War College here in rural Cumberland County, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in an interview with the Washington Examiner that he relished the occasion to detail the Pentagon’s focus going forward.

“The opportunity to articulate the focus of the department, looking out at a group of men and women who are the future leaders of our formations, was a neat opportunity,” Hegseth said.