God help us.
I can’t remember when I have uttered the phrase “God help us” more times than I did on Tuesday during the U.S. Senate confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s utterly deplorable choice for Defense secretary, a former Fox News host. His performance was an astonishing display of arrogance, evasion, and outright ignorance, and it laid bare his unfitness for the position.
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Hegseth’s glaring deficiency in qualifications, character, and moral clarity raises grave concerns about the future of American defense leadership. Thus, the repeated exclamations of “God help us.”
From the outset, Hegseth attempted to paper over his deeply controversial past with hollow platitudes and half-hearted denials. When pressed by Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine about the numerous allegations of misconduct against him, including accusations of misogyny and philandering, Hegseth dismissed them as "anonymous," even when presented with evidence to the contrary.
Kaine’s pointed rebuttal, “We have seen records with names attached to all of these, including the name of your own mother,” revealed not only Hegseth’s dishonesty but also his contempt for accountability. His inability to address these allegations with transparency and humility demonstrates a profound lack of integrity.
Hegseth’s contradictions were on full display when discussing his stance on women and LGBTQ+ service members. Even though he claimed in his opening statement to support the repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” his prior statements tell a different story. As recently as last fall, Hegseth derided the inclusion of women and LGBTQ+ people in the military as part of a “Marxist” that puts social justice above combat readiness.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren pressed him about his abrupt change of opinion on women in the military. “And then on November 9, 2024, just 32 days after your last public comment saying that women absolutely should not be in combat, you declare that, quote, ‘some of our greatest warriors are women’ and you support having them serve in combat. Now, that is a very, very big about-face in a very, very short period of time,” Warren said.
Hegseth, of course, offered no coherent explanation. That’s because his latter comments were lies told because of his thirst to be Defense secretary. This brazen inconsistency reeks of opportunism, as he appears willing to say whatever is necessary to secure confirmation.
But it wasn’t just his ethical lapses that came into sharp focus. Hegseth’s lack of basic knowledge about international security and defense policy was appalling. When Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois asked him about the importance of ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and U.S. agreements with its member states, Hegseth floundered.
He could neither name the number of nations in ASEAN nor identify a single agreement, instead veering into a nonsensical tangent about South Korea, Japan, and Australia. “Mr. Hegseth, none of those countries are in ASEAN,” Duckworth shot back. “None of those three countries that you’ve mentioned are in ASEAN. I suggest you do a little homework before you prepare for these types of negotiations.”
Such ignorance of a cornerstone of the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy is inexcusable for a prospective secretary of Defense. I kept thinking, perhaps the one job that has no room for error and no place for on-the-job training, is the U.S. Defense secretary.
Our enemies are listening to every idiotic thing that comes out of Hegseth’s mouth, particularly about his penchant for war, it seems, at any cost.
Hegseth’s failure to grasp the complexities of diplomacy was compounded by his warmongering rhetoric. Throughout the hearing, he emphasized “lethality” and “warfighting” as the Pentagon’s primary missions, while conspicuously omitting any mention of peacekeeping or conflict prevention.
This narrow and bellicose vision of defense policy is not only dangerous but also fundamentally misaligned with the multifaceted responsibilities of the Department of Defense. As Duckworth pointed out, a significant portion of the secretary’s role involves fostering international partnerships and ensuring global stability. I can’t imagine for even a second that these are tasks Hegseth is prepared to handle.
Equally troubling were Hegseth’s evasive answers about the use of military force against American citizens. When Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan questioned him about the legality of deploying the military domestically, Hegseth dodged the question, pivoting instead to a tirade about illegal immigration.
His refusal to unequivocally denounce the use of the U.S. military against the nation’s own people is a chilling indication of where his loyalties might lie. It’s not with the Constitution but with the whims of a president known for authoritarian impulses. If Black Lives Matter activists want to protest in front of the White House like they did after the George Floyd murder, they will be “shot in the leg” this time because Hegseth will obey his authoritarian leader.
Hegseth’s confirmation hearing also highlighted his alarming lack of respect for the diversity that strengthens our armed forces. Programs promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion were dismissed by Hegseth and his GOP backers as “woke.” These programs have been pivotal in ensuring that the military reflects the nation it serves. Hegseth’s rhetoric and policy proposals suggest a return to an exclusionary and regressive vision of the military, one where women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people of color are marginalized or excluded altogether.
His disdain for these programs not only undermines morale but also jeopardizes the operational effectiveness of a force that thrives on its diversity. Hegseth bizarrely blamed “woke” universities for low military recruitment.
The issue of 'low military recruitment’ came up a couple of times. My question is this, if the GOP and Hegseth want to exclude women, LGBTQ+ people, and other minorities, how do they expect recruitment to rise? You don’t get higher numbers by excluding.
My guess is this: Excluding Black people, queers, and women allows more extremists and racists to enter to give Trump and Hegseth the military they want.
Perhaps most damningly, Hegseth’s character, or lack thereof, casts a long shadow over his suitability for this critical role. As Warren aptly noted, the secretary of Defense must be a diplomat, a leader, and a peacemaker, not merely a “warrior.” Hegseth’s history of misogyny, racism, and inflammatory rhetoric is antithetical to the values of an institution that demands respect, discipline, and integrity from its leaders.
This is what I kept thinking: His underlings would face dishonorable discharge for even a fraction of the misconduct he has been accused of, yet he seeks the highest post in the Department of Defense.
His confirmation would send a dangerous message to our allies and adversaries alike: that the United States values partisanship and demagoguery over competence and principle.
And American citizens should see the danger as well. What will stop President Trump and Defense Secretary Hegseth from attacking them if they disagree with the administration, or dare protest a wrong?
God help us.
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