Trump to Nominate Hegseth as His Defense Secretary

Hegseth is an Army veteran of Iraq, Afghanistan and an author
Trump’s choice to lead the Defense Department was unexpected

Donald Trump is nominating Pete Hegseth, host of Fox News Channel’s weekend morning program and an Army National Guard officer, as his defense secretary, the president-elect said in a statement on Tuesday evening, putting another fierce loyalist in charge of the government’s biggest agency. “Pete has spent his entire life as a Warrior for the Troops, and for the Country,” Trump said in a statement. “Pete is tough, smart and a true believer in America First. With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on notice – Our Military will be Great Again, and America will Never Back Down.” If confirmed by the Senate, Hegseth would take over the Pentagon at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East, where Israel is battling Iranian proxies Hamas and Hezbollah, and in Ukraine, where Russian forces continue to gain on Kyiv’s troops, despite billions in military aid from the US and allies. China, at the same time, poses a long-term threat for Washington as it plows ahead with military innovation and building up its nuclear arsenal. But Hegseth is an unconventional choice that has traditionally gone to one-time military leaders, lawmakers or government officials with decades of experience. Hegseth did once run a conservative group that advocated for greater privatization of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and had been considered for a role running that department during Trump’s first term. If confirmed, he would take over what’s commonly regarded as the world’s largest organization and the largest US employer, with more than 770,000 employees and 2 million men and women in uniform. Its budget is more than $840 billion and its finances are so complicated it’s never successfully completed an audit. In nominating Hegseth, though, Trump would have a staunch loyalist helping spearhead what are expected to be radical changes at the Pentagon, which prides itself on being apolitical. Hegseth, House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Tuesday night, is “somebody who will, I think be reform-minded. He’s highly qualified.” In his campaign, Trump has promised to ban transgender people from the military, strip away diversity and inclusion policies in government, and has talked of using the National Guard and possibly the active-duty military to deport millions of undocumented immigrants.

The White House may also charge the new Pentagon boss with cutting costs from its budget and pivoting its procurement bureaucracy toward funding technology innovations. Hegseth’s confirmation hearing could surface controversial stances he’s taken on military matters, including his advocacy on behalf of American soldiers accused or convicted of war crimes in Iraq and his defense of the treatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay. Hegseth’s unit served at the US prison base in Cuba, and he subsequently volunteered to serve in Iraq. He also served in Afghanistan. The pick also conforms with Trump’s longtime preference for staff who are said to look the part. Choosing Hegseth — who wrote books including “Battle for the American Mind” and “The War on Warriors” — also signals Trump will indeed make good on his pledge to crack down on what he sees as “woke” initiatives at the Pentagon. NN: The last man in the job is a affirmative action totally unqualified liberal lefty PC choice. He has deiminated the US military with his WOK DOPE Fagit agenda. HEGSETH is a vehement anti WOK anti affirmation action leader. The military’s job is to fight wars not a equal opportunity employer or a vehicle for liberal lefty social change. I hope he can get confirmed.