In a stunning display of reckless incompetence and inappropriate favoritism, Donald Trump has tapped Pete Hegseth, the weekend host of his favorite "Fox and Friends" TV show, to lead the United States military.
He would be replacing General Lloyd Austin III,a highly decorated four-star general who served in the military for 41 years. Pete Hegseth briefly served in the National Guard, was a prison guard at the Guantanamo Bay torture camp, and saw deployment overseas. After his service, he joined a think tank, started a PAC, flirted with a run for Senate, then became a Fox news pundit. Not exactly a resume that would lead you to think "oh, this guy should be put in charge of two million people and the world's most powerful military."
Oppose Pete Hegseth for SecDef!
Hegseth has crusader crosses tattooed on his chest, along with the far-right wing battle cry "Deus Vult" on his arm. He's notorious for pushing President Trump to pardon convicted war criminals who murdered civilians and is a virulent anti-Iranian war hawk — but most importantly, he's a hardline Trump loyalist, which is of course why he was chosen.
"Hegseth is undoubtedly the least qualified nominee for SecDef in American history. And the most overtly political. Brace yourself, America," said Paul Rieckhoff, founder of Independent Veterans of America. Or, to put it more bluntly, a defense lobbyist simply responded to the news with "Who the f*ck is this guy?"
We must not allow Trump to install a partisan loyalist and wildly unqualified extremist as the civilian leader of our nation's military. Tell the Senate to oppose the nomination of Pete Hegseth!
Tell the Senate: Don't confirm Fox host Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense!
