Makes no difference if you gleefully celebrated Donald Trump being re-elected President, or your first instinct was to whallop yourself in the temple with a ball-peen hammer to break the nightmare.
You knew this was coming.
This was not merely inevitable, it was pre-ordained. There was absolutely no way possible for Trump to not reveal his true intentions even before taking the oath of Presidential office a second time.
Unmitigated disaster, a rush toward possible global conflict, an abject fail to truly do what is necessary to protect the United States at a time of global upheaval, a stiff middle finger to the brave men and women who proudly defend this country, thy name is Pete Hegseth, Trump's candidate for Secretary of Defense.
Don’t be ashamed if your first reaction is, “who”? Save for those who worship at the FOX altar of cheerful “curvy couch” disinformation for monetary gain, you and anyone else with common sense above the level of pavement had thankfully never heard of him.
You had never caught an inkling of the individual who in a 2019 interview with Trump, on FOX of course, noted he could not recall washing his hands over the past 10 years because he didn’t believe germs existed.
Your memory had never been attached to a notation in his fourth book that Democrats, progressives and anyone on the political left were “domestic enemies” whose aim was to transform the military into a “cartoonish circus” by imposing “woke” ideology, without explaining what exactly his definition of “woke” is.
You would never have recalled the time he convinced then-President Trump to pardon three American military servicemen who were accused of war crimes in Iraq, among them shooting innocent civilians and torturing a prisoner.
You might have only known him as another foppishly arrogant and propaganda laden FOX lemmings for things such as accusing Democrats of creating COVID-19 variants every two years to fix elections. Nothing would have ever indicated this member of the Minnesota Army National Guard had even a whit of the experience necessary to lead the American defense effort.
Let's not even discuss his far right-wing Christian zealotry and idolatry. The man is a walking billboard of paint now used by hateful Nationalists.
Obviously, because for innumerable reasons, he’s qualified only being a mouthpiece for the incoming President, which could not be more dangerous for this country.
The candidacy of Hegseth as the person in charge at the Pentagon is nothing short of a national embarrassment, a reckless decision that risks the integrity of U.S. military leadership and our standing on the world stage. The MAGA-devoted shill with little formal defense experience, he has been an outspoken loyalist to Donald Trump but lacks the credentials to command or oversee the complexities of national defense.
Appointing him to one of the nation’s most critical positions is a transparent attempt by Trump to place a “yes-man” in a role that demands expertise, strategic insight, and the backbone to make hard, unbiased decisions. A position of this magnitude demands the individual in charge have a spine to tell the President when he or she is wrong, and placing America in danger. Not this jingoistic jellyfish who denigrates women as not being tough enough to serve and defend their country.
Senator Tammy Duckworth, who proudly served her country and paid the price with the loss of her legs, would seek to disagree.
Hegseth’s credentials are wafer thin, at best. While he has served in the National Guard, he lacks the extensive defense, diplomatic, and geopolitical experience necessary to helm an organization as intricate and consequential as the Department of Defense. Traditionally, the Secretary of Defense is someone with a deep understanding of military operations, international alliances, and a track record of leadership in complex environments, qualifications held by predecessors like Jim Mattis, who commanded respect from military leaders globally due to his deep knowledge and experience. Hegseth, however, is widely viewed as a figure more suited to partisan propaganda-laden media debates than to making calculated, life-and-death decisions for the nation’s military.
Already there are those within the military structure who fear having Hegseth in “command” will only cost multiple lives of dedicated servicemen and women as they are tossed into conflicts without the proper preparation.
This move will undoubtedly disrupt the Pentagon’s chain of command, creating chaos among top generals who have spent their careers under leaders who prioritize country over politics and service over lies. Trump’s decision could lead to high-ranking officials resigning, opening doors for replacements more willing to compromise military professionalism for political gain.
Military leaders, particularly those who have served in both Republican and Democratic administrations, warn against politicizing the Pentagon. Admiral William McRaven, for instance, has been openly critical of Trump’s attitude toward the military, calling it dangerous and destabilizing. Placing Hegseth in a position of such power could be interpreted as a signal that dissent from Trump’s preferences will not be tolerated, leading to a chilling effect on candid advice from the nation’s top military minds.
Hegseth’s alignment with Trump’s worldview could also strain relations with our allies. As Secretary of Defense, Hegseth would be tasked with representing the United States in NATO meetings and other international military forums where credibility is paramount. His partisan persona and lack of diplomacy experience could lead allies to question America’s military strategy, making it harder for the U.S. to build coalitions or act as a stabilizing force. Our allies have long relied on a level of continuity and non-partisanship in the Pentagon, qualities that will be harder to count on with a mouthpiece like Hegseth at the helm.
Trump’s installation of a loyalist like Hegseth at the Department of Defense is also a clear pathway for Trump to bend the military to his personal agenda. Military institutions are built on principles of apolitical service and are designed to serve the nation as a whole, not individual leaders. However, Hegseth’s history of ardent support for Trump and his policies strongly suggests he would enable rather than challenge Trump’s impulses. If Trump were to push for aggressive military action, or worse, military involvement in domestic issues, Hegseth’s appointment would make it easier to override military protocols and put Trump’s personal interests over national stability.
Hegseth would be little more than a rubber stamp on whatever conflict or controversy Trump demanded we be involved in, which could even involved the use of military force on home soil against perceived and fabricated "enemies".
One need only look at historical examples to see the dangers of placing inexperienced or overly loyal individuals in positions of military leadership. The consequences of political interference in defense matters have been disastrous in numerous contexts. History has shown that political loyalists in military roles often act as enablers rather than defenders of institutional integrity, leading to rash decisions with costly repercussions.
In contrast, respected leaders like Mattis, Colin Powell, and Robert Gates have brought discipline and restraint to the Pentagon, balancing assertive national defense with careful, informed judgment. They served as stabilizing forces in turbulent times, precisely because of their independence from any single political figure.
Beyond the risk of military blunders, Hegseth’s appointment could lead to an erosion of trust within the military itself. Service members, who often come from diverse political backgrounds, deserve to know their leaders make decisions based on objective analysis, not blind loyalty. If Hegseth simply parrots Trump’s agenda, which he has gladly done in every public forum to date, service members may lose faith in their leadership’s ability to protect both them and the Constitution impartially.
America’s military reputation is built on strength, professionalism, and a steadfast commitment to democracy. Hegseth’s appointment threatens these values, replacing them with political favoritism and unqualified leadership.
In an increasingly dangerous world, America cannot afford to become a laughingstock due to poor leadership decisions. The role of Secretary of Defense requires unwavering loyalty to the nation, not to an individual leader.
It demands more than a card-carrying sycophant who, as already witnessed multiple times over a number of years, is ready and prepared to do nothing more than roll over for his master.
That is how people are killed and nations falter.
Comments