The Department of Defense is a $813 billion enterprise which controls the purse strings to everything from America’s nuclear arsenal to every branch of the armed forces. All presidents appoint competent military figures or career bureaucrats to Secretary of Defense, because it’s one of the biggest and most important Cabinet positions. No president in history has ever f–ked around with the SecDef position, no one has ever hired a dumbass crony or some idiotic cable news talking head. Well, guess what? Donald Trump has chosen his Secretary of Defense and it’s just some Fox News dumbass.
President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Pete Hegseth, a Fox News host and Army veteran, to serve as his secretary of defense. Hegseth’s selection was a surprise, as he was not among those considered as a likely pick by members of Trump’s team, sources familiar with the discussions told CNN.
Sources said that it came down to Trump having a longstanding relationship with Hegseth, noting that the president-elect always thought he was “smart” and was impressed by his career. Trump also likes that Hegseth is a military veteran and the account of his service in his book, the sources said. While Hegseth’s name had not been on the initial shortlist, Trump was struggling to land on a choice for the job, and he liked Hegseth from Trump’s last term when he briefly considered him for leading the Department of Veterans Affairs before being warned that he may not get confirmed by the Senate, one source familiar said.
“Trump also thinks he has the look,” one source said.
Many people in Trump’s orbit were caught by surprise by his decision, the sources said. Hegseth didn’t emerge as a top candidate for defense secretary until Monday, a Trump adviser said, with the Fox News host interviewing for the role over the last 24 hours.
One defense official told CNN, “Everyone is simply shocked.” Another Pentagon official who was following the potential picks for defense secretary learned about the possibility of Hegseth only in the hours before the nomination and, like others who spoke on condition of anonymity with CNN, didn’t know how to react. Even some former Trump officials who have remained close to former colleagues and have been in touch with the transition were caught off guard. One former Trump official also said they were “shocked” by the selection and expect there’s going to be an effort to “take him down.”
This is connected to Trump’s insistence on doing recess appointments too – he doesn’t want his Cabinet appointments to face any kind of Senate confirmation scrutiny, and the choice of Hegseth will face an abundance of Senate scrutiny, even within the Republican caucus. So, what is known about Hegseth other than “Trump saw him on the teevee?” Well, apparently, this guy doesn’t want women in his He-Man Pentagon Boys Club.
Additionally, Trump wants to do an executive order which forms a “warrior board” of retired military to purge the existing Pentagon brass. Let me guess, Trump will loyalty-test generals and if they fail, they’re fired.
Pete Hegseth 5 days ago: "I'm straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles." pic.twitter.com/0W3LDSakud
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 13, 2024
Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.
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Well as long as he has the “look” that central casting is aiming for, that’s all that matters!
Like holy FUCK we are so doomed, guys. And I am already nauseous and tired from all the “The GOP is shocked” stories. Go fuck yourselves. You’re not “shocked”, this is your guy doing EXACTLY what you knew he’d do.
I read recently that young men are terrified of a draft being instituted. Well, they really should be.
I agree 💯!
The same young men who voted for Trump in droves? Because Trump is “just a bro” and, I don’t know, girls have cooties? Gosh, it sure would be a shame if they actually had to, like, really own that butch, he-man shit. Enjoy Iran, boys!
…and China. As a Mom of a sweet, artsy 13 year old male, I’m terrified. My husband is former Army and he’s ready to leave if a draft goes into place because he believes in fighting for an entire country, not one sick megalomaniac.
The fear actually started well before the election and in the wake of U.S. forces killing Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in early 2020. Apparently, a lot of it was based on social media disinformation. I guess some people received fraudulent texts, supposedly from the Army Recruiting Command, telling them that they had been selected for the draft.
Still voted for Donald The Dove again though.
FAFO on the next four years! This orange turd’s win has just left me devastated. To the people that voted for him, I have absolutely no comprehension of/or compassion for the depths of their stupidity. And when the leopards begin eating their faces, my heart will be happy. These cabinet choices are the stuff of a living nightmare.
The first men drafted should be every single one who voted him! Those turds will run scared at the first mention of it.
It sucks because obviously I don’t want war or anyone to die but I don’t see how these people will ever learn unless they start to feel the direct effect on their families. Even then, I’m not sure if that would teach them.
No one is scared of a draft since we are not at war. Other nations are. We have a strong military with people that choose to be part of it.
We’re doomed! First Musk, now this guy. Who next – The Pillow Guy?
Don’t laugh. Has he filled Secretary of Commerce or Labor?
As of right now he has not. He has not appointed a single qualified person yet.
Oh FFS. *sobs*
Here comes Trump’s version of Hitler’s generals.
I have nothing left today except for a very sarcastic and raspy lol.
He’s said in the past he’s in favor of pardoning soldiers convicted of war crimes. Trump didn’t pick him because he looks the part. He wants him there to rubber stamp his plans to purge the military of anyone that isn’t willing to ignore the law and blindly follow orders. And here I thought that Michael Flynn as SecDef was my nightmare scenario.
Yes. His inexperience is precisely why he picked him. He will be a good little puppet for anything and everything Trump tries to pull.
This guy is also a big Iran hawk. Trump is determined to get the war with Iran that he was prevented from having last time. If you voted for Trump thinking he was the peace candidate, you are a real dumbf**k. Btw, he plans to let Netanyahu turn Gaza into a parking lot so Jared can build a seaside resort there. More dumbf**ks.
I think we’re fine with it.
Have you seen the responses AOC got when she asked why some of her voters also voted for Trump? The “peace” bullshit came up a lot. I mean, I knew these people were stupid, but godDAMN.
It’s so sickening. I honestly don’t have words.
The plan has always been to invade Iran. Even a month ago he was saying Israel should attack Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Yup. Let’s see how much China likes these tariffs and how much Putin likes Trump dragging his feet on Biden sanctions and the huge influx of defense and spending the Biden administration is doing in Ukraine in its last weeks… my guess is, they’re going to side with Iran, even though they’re frenemies in some aspects
This man does not want this job.
You don’t go from a cushy, weekend gig where you talky talk about whatever you want for a bit and then collect a massive paycheck to one of the most high profile, high responsibility, high accountability, high commitment, high information jobs in the world.
The president may be able to wave his hands and wonder off to watch tv all afternoon while others get things done, but Sec of Defense is a 24/7, global, J-O-B. He’s about to have a very full schedule of actual work that he does not want. He’ll run back to the world of hair, makeup, and craft services real quick.
Oh, was Michael Flynn not available? Asking not because he’d be better, I just expected it to be Flynn.
I can see Trump lining Michael Flynn up to head his “Warrior Board.” Two vindictive guys just having a little fun at the world’s expense.
Sweet Mary and Joseph. Just saw where Trump made Matt Gaetz his attorney general.
It just keeps getting worse.
This administration is going to come out hard against women and I think that they will even go so far at to implement Saudi Arabia style restrictions. Women will need the permission of a man to travel. Employment restrictions and further health care restrictions will come.
I hope that this is just my doomsday thinking but If I was an American woman, I’d be moving myself to a blue state and start assessing what to do from there.
I was thinking same this morning. By the end of next year in some states might look like the Taliban territory only with a different religion, the males with their big guns, woman and children at home, “homeschooling’ or not even, nicely covered up (long skirts, sleeves,…) and not being allowed to drive. Prayers before breakfast lunch dinner and bed. That is where is seems to be going.
Wanted to add – part of what made Hitler so successful was he had competent people already in positions of power in the military that really did know what they were doing. Unfortunately, he surrounded himself with a lot of “yes men” and became severely addicted to drugs, and stopped listening to those generals and then it all went to shit (deservedly so, they can all rot in hell).
The difference with the Trump thing, is he is pretty much surrounding himself with a bunch of “yes men bro dudes” and unfortunately, that is going to fuck him over eventually. I don’t think these people he’s picking were as competent as the generals Hitler had, so I’m a bit optimistic this is going to go to shit, and fast. And what I mean by this is I hope legit GOP and the public watch what these people do and start realizing fast it’s not going to be in the best interests of the country and try to develop back into a part that wasn’t a self serving shitshow.
I pray for this country and the whole world-we are in for a very rude awakening and there will be no easy answer or fix-these plans for America were already being put inplace when Trump left office-Trump ran on some of policies which is why you see certain people picked for his cabinet and other jobs- my husband and myself are banking and perserving all our money and assets during this troubled time-no necessary spending if not needed-I can’t say how the economy will be in a couple of years but we are not taking any chances-deporting all these people will be extremely expensive some areas of government will take a big hit-I think anyone with the funds needs to have a second place of refuge overseas somewhere-this will be a very bumpy and dangerous ride for the entire country-Peace be with you.