The defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, signed a memo on Thursday that would allow military service members to request permission to carry their personal firearms on military installations such as bases, naval yards and recruitment centers, claiming the new policy would allow soldiers and other military personnel to defend themselves in case of an attack. “The war department’s uniformed service members are trained at the highest and unwavering standards. And if a higher-up denies a servicemember’s request to carry, the reasoning behind the decision must be spelled out in detail. For more than 20 years preceding that shooting, servicemembers and civilians were not allowed to carry their personal firearms while on their bases and camps unless they were security duty or participating in a law enforcement investigation. Hegseth’s directive goes further by making approval to carry easier, and requiring a thorough explanation for any carry request denials.

Source: The Guardian April 03, 2026 14:19 UTC