Service members can now carry personal weapons on military bases, Hegseth says

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US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (R) delivers a speech during a memorial ceremony held as part of the 81st anniversary of the World War II "D-Day" Allied landings in Normandy, at the American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, north-western France,

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U.S. service members and other Defense Department personnel will be able to carry and store their own personal weapons on military bases across the country, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Thursday. 

Hegseth said the move ensures that members of the U.S. military can "exercise their God-given right to keep and bear arms." 

Bases were ‘gun-free’ zones, Hegseth says

What we know:

In a video on X, Hegseth said he signed a memo Thursday allowing soldiers to ask their commanders "to carry a privately owned firearm with the presumption that it is necessary for personal protections."

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If the request is denied, there will be a written explanation.  

What we don't know:

It’s unclear what would disqualify a service member from carrying on their respective base. 

What they're saying:

Hegseth said before today, it was "virtually impossible" for Defense Department personnel to carry personal weapons. 

"The War Department's uniformed service members are trained at the highest and unwavering standards," Hegseth said. "These war fighters, entrusted with the safety of our nation, are no less entitled to exercise their God-given right to keep and bear arms than any other American. Our war fighters defend the right of others to carry. They should be able to carry themselves."

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Hegseth pointed to shootings at Holloman Air Force Base in March and Fort Stewart in August 2025, and a terror attack at the Pensacola Naval Air Station in December 2019. 

"Not all enemies are foreign, nor are they all outside our borders," Hegseth said. "Some are domestic. Confirming your God-given right to self-protection is what I'm signing into action today, and I'm proud to do so."