Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary in Trump’s team: Favorites dismayed
A reputed American News Channel was told by some sources about the likely nomination of Pete Hegseth, as Defense Secretary President-elect Donald Trump`s upcoming Cabinet. Since the favorites don’t seem to be the obvious choice of Trump, the decision came as a disbelief for many. The President-elect team, thus, might find Hegseth as one of their co-member as a Defense Secretary.
While one of the sources added an impetus coming likely as “looks,” nevertheless, the Army veteran was found as an asset to the team way back during Trump`s first term. At that time, the President-elect had also zeroed in on him as leading the Department of Veterans Affairs, briefly though. However, he was told by the Senate about the unlikeliness of the said development in his case then.
🚨Update: Trump selects Pete Hegseth, a Major in the Minnesota Army National Guard and veterans’ advocate, as his choice for Secretary of Defense!! pic.twitter.com/WCBEmkiN2P
— US Civil Defense News (@CaptCoronado) November 13, 2024
It is being widely surmised that his name as a Defense Secretary wasn’t considered in the beginning for the said post and Trump was finding it hard to choose anyone for that. Now the sources say that the latest development comes in the wake of Trump`s time-tested rapport with Hegseth. The impression was created in Trump`s mind that his career as a military veteran with a strong account in his service book and also that he was smart enough, has possibly stood as a win-win condition for him to choose him as a Defense Secretary.
The Pentagon shocked at the decision regarding the Defense Secretary
The Presidential protocol in this regard has been given a go-by when earlier, candidates for the Defense Secretary post were picked up from the Defense background. In the first term of Trump, a four-star general, James Mattis, and an Army secretary, Mark Esper were chosen to lead the Pentagon. Till Monday, Hegseth`s name as a candidate for Defense Secretary wasn’t on the cards yet, and the situation took a turn positive while his interviewing session was on, regarding his possible nomination. The Fox News host had been interviewing other likely candidates for the past 24 hours.
“Everyone is simply shocked,” a top News channel was told by a defense official. The decision comes as a surprise for most, as according to one of the Pentagon sources, he was numb for any reaction. There, according to him, were many on the list for the defense secretary post and Hegseth`s nomination was a bolt from the blue, the official spoke on the condition of anonymity.
In his first term, Trump was highly critical of the modus operandi of both secretaries, James Mattis and Mark Esper. The latter was fired then and the former tended his resignation from his post when the relationship took a turn for worse.
The Republicans might not be bothered about who is in the cabinet, but among the President-elect nominees, the former`s insignificant number is a win-win situation for any confirmation. But what has been set, is a chain reaction of sorts, towards Trumop`s confrontation over the controversial decision of electing Hegseth as a probable Defense Secretary.
There might be a struggle to get him down from the post, according to one of the official, owing to the shock of their lifetime due to this. Former colleagues, close to former President`s officials have found it hard to digest, the fact that their former Boss can do quite the uncanny.
Republicans curious, others for a fair chance
“I just don’t know much about his background and his vision. I look forward to learning more. I want to give all of President Trump’s nominees fair opportunity to state their qualifications and their vision,” said Sen. Todd Young, a Republican from Indiana.
For some of them, the nomination for the Defense Secretary sounds interesting, like North Carolina GOP Sen. Thom Tillis. Young, wished he could know more about the upcoming nominee. At any given chance, he has emerged as a critic of Trump a number of times. Learning about the possible candidate in the form of Hegseth, Alaska Republican Sen Lisa Murkowski expressed excitement at the turn of events, on Tuesday evening.
Hegseth as trusted Trump Lieutenant
The candidate for Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth has an outstanding military record, so what if, ironically, he has been critical about women`s role in combat situations? He has been accusing the military of lowering standards to allow women into those jobs. Iraq and Afghanistan were among his service itineraries and obviously, though, Trump has since trusted him for his agility in commanding tough situations in hostile countries.
“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,” said Trump. “Pete has spent his entire life as a Warrior for the Troops, and for the Country,” said Trump once again. His bestselling book and his work as a Fox News host has brought the former, kudos from the President-elect.
Trump finds loyalty personified in Hegseth which affords an ease with which the coming administration will work. This is in the background of patchy, humdrum efforts at the Defense Department to go on with his subordinates during his first term. After Trump ordered to immediately withdraw the Army from Syria, Mattis resigned in protest and another possible candidate and defense secretary, Mark, said about the re-election of Trump as president days before the election.
This is in sharp contrast to Pete, who has been a trusted informal adviser to Trump. This was while Trump was often in and out of the Presidential office, sources informed a leading news channel. They also added that Hegseth had often thought about bestowing him with leading positions in various departments, but had since been overlooked for the same.
Hegseth clarifies his position on women in combat
Pete says, “I’m talking about something where strength is the differentiator.” The probable candidate for Defense Secretary was clarifying his position, sounding traditionalist, recently on “The Shawn Ryan Show.” “But our institutions don’t have to incentivize that in places where, traditionally — not traditionally, over human history — men in those positions are more capable. It hasn’t made us more effective, hasn’t made us more lethal, has made fighting more complicated. We’ve all served with women, and they’re great.”
Though, in his view, work in “physical, labor-intensive type jobs,” such as those with the Navy SEALs, Army Rangers, Army Special Forces, Marine Special Operations, and jobs such as those in infantry, armor, and artillery units, suit them best.
This was evident when there wasn’t enough response to his book, “The War on Warriors.” In a podcast, he appears, saying he was surprised. Published this year, the book deals with issues like these.
Critical of Military programs
“Either you’re in for warfighting and that’s it, that’s the only litmus test we care about,” says the probable Defense Secretary candidate. “You’ve got to get DEI and CRT out of military academies so you’re not training young officers to be baptized in this type of thinking.” In the same podcast, he was also critical of the military’s diversity programs.
The probable Defense Secretary Candidate As media host
“His insights and analysis especially about the military resonated deeply with our viewers and made the program the major success that it is today,” said Fox News. “We are extremely proud of his work at FOX News Media and wish him the best of luck in Washington.”
These are the types of positive remarks that have gone in resonating with Trump`s thinking about how the defense section ought to be handled. That is why, Rep. Mike Waltz of Florida had been asked to handle the national security adviser post offered to him.
Valuing the kind of message going to the visual audiences, this too, seems to have been in mind of the President-elect. As such, the elevation is seen as a jumpstart for the TV personality for a much more important post. The deal with Fox News is going to end on Tuesday and the agency has wished him best.
His removal and awards
A tattoo in the year 2021 at an inauguration duty was touted as the cause behind his removal at his Army unit. “Ultimately, members of my unit in leadership deemed that I was an extremist or a white nationalist because of a tattoo I have, which is a religious tattoo.”
He has served under former Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Trump when his unit was also asked to handle Joe Biden’s inauguration. He holds two Bronze Stars, according to Simon & Schuster, the company that published his 2017 book “In the Arena.” Apart from that, he has been CEO of a veterans advocacy organization.
Media outreach for sensitive statements
To ensure that the troops don’t have any affiliation with extremist groups, the National Guard Bureau was reported to have removed twelve guards from the inauguration duty after a thorough checking process was followed for the same.
Trump had pardoned two service members who were accused of war crimes and even restored the rank of Navy SEAL officer Eddie Gallagher. Gallagher was earlier demoted after investigations and was suspected to have taken part in the war crimes. It was reported that Hegseth was instrumental in convincing Trump to be lenient on some war crime accused members while he was working with Fox News.
This was seen as a move that could have damaged the image and the integrity of the military judicial system. This also went against the advice of Mr. Esper, the then Defense Secretary and other special members of the military group who wanted the image of the military system clean and dignified.
Trump has proposed giving his national security team the responsibility of reevaluating America’s stance towards Russia, China, Iran, Ukraine, and the raging Middle East crisis. He has also stated that he was angry with officials who attempted to stop his frequently impetuous requests and wishes and that he regretted placing several of them in key positions after winning the presidency in 2016.
The two men confirmed to be Trump’s defense secretary have been harshly critical of him since he left office, and the president-elect’s relationship with Pentagon leadership was extremely tense throughout his first term.
