Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended recent military strikes on alleged drug cartel boats, asserting President Donald Trump has the authority to take such actions to protect the nation. Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum, Hegseth dismissed criticism over the legality of the strikes, which have resulted in at least 87 deaths, and compared the fight against drug smugglers to the war on terror. He also addressed concerns about the administration's new national security strategy, which emphasizes American dominance and a tougher stance against China, including the possibility of resuming nuclear testing. Hegseth used the platform to position Trump as the ideological successor to Ronald Reagan, while criticizing past Republican foreign policy and dismissing issues like climate change as distractions for the military.