Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and his wife, Jennifer, dedicated a 14-foot Nellie Stevens Holly Christmas tree to the families of U.S. service members today during an inaugural tree lighting ceremony in the Pentagon's courtyard.
The tree, which replaced a 17-year-old Amelanchier shrub that had recently fallen into decline and was scheduled for removal next year, is expected to eventually grow over 30 feet tall and live for more than 50 years.
Prior to the tree's lighting, Hegseth addressed the hundreds of Pentagon service members and civilian employees in attendance, many of them with their own family members.
"We are gathered here to celebrate the blessing of Christmas season here at the Pentagon. … We're going to bring Christmas back to the Pentagon, and that's what we're doing," Hegseth told the crowd.
As a devout Christian, Hegseth explained that while there certainly is a high level of commercialism attached to the Christmas season, it's important for all Christians to reflect on their faith at this time of year.
"In this season of Advent, Christians are called to pause and reflect ... to turn away from the things of the world and look upward toward the anticipation of the coming of our savior," Hegseth said, reminding those who share his and his family's faith.
During his remarks, Hegseth also expressed gratitude for the men and women serving in the military all across the globe.
"In this season, we worship, we reflect, we rest and — of course, with our families — we eventually feast. We prepare to spend time together, remember the ones that we love, and we remember the ones that are fighting to protect all of us to bring peace on earth and goodwill toward men," Hegseth said, adding that the War Department wants to ensure that families everywhere get to enjoy a peaceful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Along with dedicating the inaugural Christmas tree to the families of service members, the Hegseths also gifted a Pentagon-shaped plaque.
"We honor the essential role of military families in defending our nation's freedoms. Your patience during long separations, your resilience in the face of uncertainty and your unwavering belief in your loved ones' mission are the silent forces that sustain our military," the plaque reads.
"We offer our heartfelt thanks for your exceptional service on the home front," it concludes.
The tree's lighting was followed by a surprise visit from Santa Claus and a handful of his elves — the latter of whom were dressed in tactical garb and made their entrance by rappelling down the side of the building from the fifth story roof.
Once on the ground, Santa and his elves loaded into Jolly Old St. Nick's "sleigh" (actually a Lenco BearCat armored vehicle belonging to the Pentagon's police force) and began driving around the courtyard as the Navy band played festive holiday tunes for all in attendance.
Today's inaugural tree lighting ceremony was the first of a handful of holiday events the Pentagon has scheduled for December.
There is a food drive to benefit service members and local communities, followed by a Christmas decorating contest on Dec. 9 and 10, respectively. After that, a holiday singing event is scheduled for Dec. 11, followed by a Christian worship service on Dec. 17.