A grateful nation and the Department of Defense grieves the tragic loss of the Marines and Sailor lost in the amphibious assault vehicle accident off the coast of San Clemente Island.

Our prayers and condolences are with the family and friends of these brave young men: Lance Cpl. Guillermo S. Perez, 20, of New Braunfels, TX

Pfc. Bryan J. Baltierra, 19, of Corona, CA

Lance Cpl. Marco A. Barranco, 21, of Montebello, CA

Pfc. Evan A. Bath, 19, of Oak Creek, WI

U.S. Navy Hospitalman Christopher Gnem, 22, of Stockton, CA

At the direction of the @POTUS, we will realign our forces in Europe to support our partners and stand up to malign adversary behavior. This will redistribute 11,900 U.S. military members in both permanent stationing and rotating deployments -- 5,400 will be re-stationed in Europe and 6,500 will return home to installations in the United States.

After reviewing recommendations across the Department, I immediately acted on issues we can address now. Remove photographs from consideration by promotion boards and selection processes. Develop additional guidance that emphasizes retaining qualified and diverse talent.

On June 17, I announced three new initiatives aimed at advancing equal opportunity, diversity, and inclusion across our Force. First, I directed our civilian and uniformed leadership in the Pentagon to bring me concrete ideas by the end of June that we could implement quickly, such as removing photos from selection boards.

The #US military is the greatest military force in history, not just because of tactics and technology, but because our all-volunteer patriots who believe in, and pledge their lives to defend, the values that make us Americans.

https://twitter.com/EsperDoD/status/1273628482799570949

What defines us as Americans? Not our race or religion. Our values and beliefs that bind us as a people; chief among them: we are all created equal. Every member of the @DeptofDefense pledges to defend those values with our lives.

As we work with our interagency partners to mitigate risk of the spread of #COVID19, I want to ensure our Service Members, their Families, our DoD civilians & personnel are as safe as possible. One of my top priorities remains protection & welfare of our people. Effective March 13, I am directing all DoD uniformed personnel, civilian personnel & their Families traveling to, from or through Level 3 designated locations to stop movement for the next 60 days.

I offer my condolences to the families of the victims of both the Pearl Harbor and the Pensacola Naval Air Station shootings. The Department of Defense continues to monitor the situation in Pensacola and gather all the facts of each attack. I’ve spoken with Governor DeSantis, the Secretary of the Navy, and Deputy Secretary Norquist and am considering several steps to ensure the security of our military installations and the safety of our service members and their families.

This is a great day for America and a great day for the world. Last night, US joint special operations forces and interagency partners flawlessly executed a Commander-in-Chief directed operation to capture or kill Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. As a result, al-Baghdadi, who led the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria terrorist movement and inspired one of the most brutal and misguided terror campaigns in modern history, is dead at the hands of the United States military.

Despite the opposition & repeated warnings from the U.S. & international community, Turkish President Erdogan ordered a unilateral invasion of northern Syria that has resulted in widespread casualties, refugees, destruction, insecurity & a growing threat to U.S. military forces. Due to Turkey's irresponsible actions, the risk to US forces in NE Syria has reached an unacceptable level. We are also at risk of being engulfed in a broader conflict. Therefore at @POTUS' direction DoD is executing a deliberate withdrawal of US military personnel from NE Syria.

The @DeptofDefense is not abandoning our Kurdish partner forces. U.S. troops remain in other parts of Syria. We urge Turkey to forego its operation & work with us to address concerns through the development of a security zone along the border. It is clear the Iranians are responsible for recent attacks on Saudi Arabian oil facilities. In response, I have ordered the deployment of two additional fighter squadrons, support personnel & additional Patriot & THAAD air & missile defense batteries.

1 of 4: Today I had the honor & privilege to appear & testify before the distinguished Members of the #SASC as @POTUS' nominee for Secretary of Defense. I am deeply humbled & grateful for Senator @timkaine's endorsement & introduction before the Committee. 2 of 4: I thank Chairman @JimInhofe, ranking Member @SenJackReed,
@SASCMajority, @SASCDems for their consideration. I'm honored to be part of the world's greatest military. If confirmed, I'll strive to continue to prepare DOD to compete in current & future security environments.

1 of 3: It is the honor and privilege of a lifetime to serve alongside you as the Acting Secretary of Defense. I am proud of the great work our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Civilians do each and every day around the world. 2 of 3: Stay focused on your mission, remain steadfast in your pursuit of excellence, and always do the right thing. Together, we will remain the most ready and capable military force in the world, which is what our Nation expects and deserves.