7 times Pete Hegseth was the definition of toxic masculinity

Pete Hegseth, toxically masculine

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is often the epitome of toxic masculinity. He’s denigrated women and transgender people, and he’d like a return to the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members. He’s now in trouble over a second strike that killed survivors of a first strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat in the Caribbean in September. Hegseth says he authorized the strikes but that Adm. Frank Bradley ordered the second one, which some are calling a war crime. In a Cabinet meeting Tuesday, Hegseth said he didn't see survivors due to "the fog of war." Also Tuesday, a newly filed Defense Department Inspector General report stated that the information he shared on a group chat on Signal regarding a military operation Yemen was considered classified and could have put troops in danger had it been intercepted. Hegseth, a former Fox News host and Iraq War veteran, was controversial even before Donald Trump nominated him to lead the Defense Department; he was accused of sexual assault in 2020, an encounter that he has maintained was consensual. We will note that no charges were filed, but there are plenty of other examples of Hegseth being everything that a man or any decent person should not be. Read on.

Against women, trans people, and DEI

Hegseth has long opposed combat service by women and any military service by transgender people. In a November 2024 interview by podcast host Shawn Ryan, he said, “Men and women are different,” framing this difference as inherently disqualifying for women in combat scenarios. “I love women service members, who contribute amazingly,” he said, but “everything about men and women serving together makes the situation more complicated. And complication in combat means casualties are worse.” He did not offer any statistics on casualties. He also said, “Being transgendered in the military causes complications and differences,” and condemned diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, saying they distract from the military’s core mission.

Related: Who Is Pete Hegseth, the Fox News host who doesn’t wash his hands that Trump nominated for Defense Secretary?

Related: Donald Trump's anti-LGBTQ+ cabinet: An in-depth look

"No more dudes in dresses"

When Hegseth spoke to a gathering of special forces troops in May, he attacked “dudes in dresses.” “Everything starts and ends with warriors, from training to the battlefield,” he said. “We are leaving wokeness and weakness behind. No more pronouns. No more climate change obsession. No more emergency vaccine mandates. No more dudes in dresses, we’re done with that shit.” He ignored the fact that drag performances have provided entertainment for the military for many years.

Related: Fox & Friends Upset Over Schools Teaching Trans Acceptance, Climate Change

Stripping Harvey Milk's name from ship

In June, Hegseth ordered that gay politician and military veteran Harvey Milk’s name be stripped from a Navy ship. Although Milk served in the Navy with distinction, Hegseth considered it “political” to have his name on a ship. “We're not renaming the ship to anything political. This is not about political activists, unlike the previous administration,” Hegseth said in a video announcement. “Instead, we're renaming the ship after a United States Navy Congressional Medal of Honor recipient [World War II hero Oscar V. Peterson], as it should be. People want to be proud of the ship they're sailing in.” Undoubtedly, many were proud of sailing in a ship named for Milk. But this action was not surprising for Hegseth, who has said he’d like to see a return to “don’t ask, don’t tell.”

Related: Who was Harvey Milk?

Another attack on drag

In what appeared to be another attack on drag, in July, Hegseth blocked Rear Adm. Michael Donnelly’s promotion to vice admiral and command of the Navy’s 7th Fleet. The action came after images surfaced online showing a drag performance on Donnelly’s aircraft carrier from years ago. Joshua Kelley, a sailor who performs in drag as Harpy Daniels, praised Donnelly as a great leader.

No votes for women or gay sex!

In August, Hegseth shared a video of pastors associated with his church saying that gay sex should be illegal and that women shouldn’t vote. He posted it on X with the comment “All of Christ for All of Life.” Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson had to do damage control later, saying, “Of course the secretary thinks that women should have the right to vote. I’m not going to litigate every single aspect of what he may or may not believe in a certain video."

No "dudes in dresses," again!

Hegseth repeated the remark about “dudes in dresses” when he spoke to top generals and admirals at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia September 30. “No more identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses, or climate-change worship,” he said. “We are done with that shit.” He also touted the rebranding of the Department of Defense as the “Department of War,” although that’s not an official name change; only Congress can do that. He further ordered all members of the military to either watch the recording of his speech or read the official transcript by October 31.

Related: Internet drags Pete Hegseth after he mocked judge who blocked Trump's trans military ban

Scouting turns genderless, admitting girls — ick!

In November, Hegseth threatened to cut the military’s ties to Scouting America, formerly the Boy Scouts of America, because it has become “genderless” by admitting girls. A leaked memo accused the group of trying to “attack boy-friendly spaces” and said, “The organization once endorsed by President Theodore Roosevelt no longer supports the future of American boys.”

Related: How the Boy Scouts became a target of the Trump administration's wrath