Staff ReportsCritics of Donald Trump’s nomination of Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense seem to be coming out of the woodwork, rattling their sabers of indignation over his blunt assessments of the U.S. military. Hegseth, a veteran and familiar face from Fox News, has drawn ire primarily for calling out the military’s recent fixation on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives—an area many conservatives believe is better suited for a college campus than a battlefield. Meanwhile, Jim Kessler, who once served as a policy director for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, claims that Hegseth is “wholly unqualified,” shifting the argument away from Hegseth’s critique of DEI, yet conveniently ignoring his military pedigree.
Kaylee McGhee White, an editorial voice at the Washington Examiner, isn’t having any of that. She argues that the Pentagon is clearly feeling the pressure from the prospect of Hegseth at the helm. With around $86 billion of taxpayer dollars funneled into DEI initiatives, it’s no wonder they view Hegseth’s potential leadership as a threat to their agenda. White’s frustration is particularly palpable when she highlights that her brother, who has dedicated a decade to serving in the Navy, is subjected to absurd training sessions focused on “white rage” instead of actual combat readiness.
🚨Democrats and the Propaganda Press are hyperventilating over the idea of Pete Hegseth clearing out the DEI regime in the US military.
Sen.-elect Slotkin: “I think we're really at risk of politicizing the military in a way that we can't put the genie back in the bottle."
Pure… pic.twitter.com/685fxYnTUo
— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) November 17, 2024
The critique isn’t just limited to military matters; White manages to weave in broader themes across Biden’s administration, noting their “total rewrite” of Title IX. This administration, in its quest to redefine societal norms, seemingly ignored voters’ backlash by overwhelmingly opting for Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris. The Supreme Court’s recent decision to deny the application of the Title IX overhaul can only be seen as a judicial rebuke to the ongoing progressive attempts to centralize control over American values.
Kessler’s discussion of the Democratic Party’s need for recalibration is met with skepticism. He suggests both parties need to rethink their strategies, perhaps while conveniently overlooking the embarrassment that candidate controversies—like those surrounding former Rep. Matt Gaetz—can pose. White counters his self-reflection by suggesting he direct his concerns straight to the voters, echoing the sentiment that perhaps the Democratic Party should start listening instead of lecturing.
Meanwhile, Hegseth is fending off criticisms that his tattoos recall white nationalism—a bizarre accusation considering most reasonable people know that “Deus Vult” merely means “God Wills It.” The hypocrisy is staggering, especially when one considers that he was removed from duty during Biden’s inaugural parade because of such absurd reasoning. This paranoia would make one think that the tattooed soldier is a clandestine enemy instead of a proud American.
Despite explosive allegations surrounding his character, including sexual assault accusations—which he has vehemently denied—Trump’s transition team continues to back Hegseth. They assert that he stands among the “extremely qualified candidates,” while the left scrambles to impose their version of candidate vetting. In the end, Hegseth embodies a return to traditional values and a critical view of unnecessary progressive distractions in the military, proving that sometimes, truth can sound a lot like treason when it comes from the right.
