President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of decorated combat veteran Pete Hegseth, who has worked as a Fox News host in recent years, to the position of defense secretary sent shockwaves through Washington Tuesday, signaling a dramatic shift in Pentagon leadership.
The move is aimed to remake U.S. military culture and oust the “woke” mentality that has taken root in the armed forces in recent years.
Trump passed over more mainstream establishment candidates like House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers and Sen. Joni Ernst for a familiar face from “Fox & Friends Weekend.”
Democrats reacted immediately with venom at the selection.
“There is reason for concern that this is not a person who is a serious enough policymaker,” warned Rep. Adam Smith, the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee.
Even some Republicans offered tepid responses, with Sen. Thom Tillis calling the choice “interesting” and others admitting they knew little about Hegseth’s vision.
Hegseth earned two Bronze Stars serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, but will now be in charge of managing potential global crises from Ukraine to China.
“I think Trump was tired of fighting with his secretaries of defense and picked one who would be loyal to him,” said Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Hegseth has expressed non-Political Correct positions in the past that could complicate his confirmation. He’s questioned women in combat roles, saying they reduce military lethality, and successfully lobbied Trump to pardon service members accused of war crimes in 2019.
His recent bestseller “The War on Warriors” blasts what he calls the Pentagon’s “social justice messages” and pointed out that studies show women in combat arms roles decrease overall unit efficiency, leading to higher casualties and less overall unit cohesion and efficiency.
“Everything about men and women serving together makes the situation more complicated, and complication in combat, that means casualties are worse,” Hegseth said in a recent podcast.
The nomination aligns with Trump’s promise to eliminate “woke” policies within 24 hours of taking office.
“Pete is tough, smart and a true believer in America First,” Trump declared, praising Hegseth’s pledge to return the military to “meritocracy, lethality, accountability and excellence.”
Like his predecessors James Mattis and Lloyd Austin, Hegseth will need a congressional waiver due to his recent military service before facing what promises to be a contentious confirmation process.