Trump nominates Fox News host Pete Hegseth for defense secretary

As intelligence director, Ratcliffe was criticized by Democrats for declassifying in the final days of the 2020 presidential election Russian intelligence alleging damaging information about Democrats during the 2016 race even though he acknowledged it might not be true.

That and being on Fox News eminently qualifies him for being in charge of the defense of the USA in the eyes of MAGA.

In the list of priorities defending Trump ranks higher though.

Trump picks Hegseth 'cause he looks good on tee-vee, supports war criminals, and has spent years kissing Trump's backside.

That's it.

He is qualified. A good descion.

Following graduation from Princeton in 2003, Hegseth joined Bear Stearns as an equity capital markets analyst and was also commissioned as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army National Guard.[ In 2004 his unit was called to Guantánamo Bay, where he served as an Infantry platoon leader with the Minnesota Army National Guard. His unit was under the operational control of the 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment 101st Airborne Division. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal. Shortly after returning from Cuba, Hegseth volunteered to serve in Baghdad and Samarra, where he held the position of infantry platoon leader and, later in Samarra, as Civil–Military Operations Officer. During his time in Iraq, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, and a second Army Commendation Medal.

He returned to active duty in 2012 as a captain. He deployed to Afghanistan with the Minnesota Army National Guard and acted as a senior counterinsurgency instructor at the Counterinsurgency Training Center in Kabul.

Awards, decorations

Combat Infantryman Badge

Bronze Star  (x2)

Army Commendation Medal  (x2)

National Defense Service Medal

Afghanistan Campaign Medal

Iraq Campaign Medal

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

Expert Infantryman Badge.

He is qualified like any other. Youing and bright.

Way better than the current.

I would say that the enemies of the USA and her allies have just been put on notice.

As I type this, air raid sirens blast and F-16's fly ahead. Somewhere in South Korea. 

The readiness level is certainly rising. Drills. 

The mood here, proud and optimistic.

Your team lost the election- making any liberal opinions about who is chosen irrelevant and your approval unnecessary.

congratulations to the new appointees and let’s judge them on their performance in office.

Our Military will be Great Again

Trump insulting the military again.

It's only great if He is in charge.

When is Trump going to get the big military parade he's always wished for, the kind they do in North Korea? All that military equipment going by should stroke his flaccid ego. (Just make sure there are no vets in wheelchairs.)

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-47201923

Fox News host Pete Hegseth has said on air that he has not washed his hands for 10 years because "germs are not a real thing".

Speaking on Fox and Friends, Hegseth said the infectious micro-organisms did not exist because they could not be seen with the naked eye.

"I inoculate myself," added the Harvard and Princeton graduate.

Wonder how that goes down with Trump, who's supposed to be fanatical about hand-washing.

Trump picks Hegseth 'cause he looks good on tee-vee,

Yes

supports war criminals, and has spent years kissing Trump's backside.

That's it.

So what’s he supposed to do? If you’re President and you want to work for a President, any President, you need to kiss up, that’s the rule.

Bet he's just itching to send in the B52s on a weak enemy. First target will probably be the Houthis in Yemen.

When is Trump going to get the big military parade he's always wished for, 

July 4th, 2025 and 2026 and 2027 and 2028.

plus the 250th anniversary celebration for our country!

nothing but good times ahead.

 If you’re President and you want to work for a President, any President, you need to kiss up, that’s the rule.

No it's not.

Trump insulting the military again.

He should, it was the worst since its creation, low morale, woke, weak, recruitments low, patriotism at an all time low.

It's only great if He is in charge.

Well, he wants to beef it up, kill wokeism, make it strong, proud, lethal, patriotic and stop identity politics poisoning the institution. I am so all in for that!!!!

When is Trump going to get the big military parade he's always wished for, the kind they do in North Korea?

Who knows

All that military equipment going by should stroke his flaccid ego.

Liberals have no room to talk about military equipment the way they embarrassed the nation with their botched Afghanistan withdrawal.

(Just make sure there are no vets in wheelchairs.)

Yes, never let liberals get anywhere near them.

So who in the Obama or Biden cabinets were these independent free thinkers in the Cabinet who just ran around doing whatever they wanted, against the orders and wishes of the man who appointed them?

No it's not.

Yes, 100% otherwise, you’re not going to get a position

Your team lost the election- making any liberal opinions about who is chosen irrelevant and your approval unnecessary.

Yes, sir!

Despite "your team" winning, you sure sound defensive.

Just remember, politics ain't a zero sum game.

Trump insulting the military again.

I put your comments into question and asked 10 service members walking by in my PX. 

I just asked 10 service members if they felt insulted.

All Airforce. All enlisted. 

Here was the feedback. 

No at all. 

When is the pay bump coming?

Good to see someone who served in the slot. 

No comment and unaware. But I trust Trump and voted for him.

Awesome! 

Things have become more active since Trumps have been acknowledged as the elected. I am busy now every day. That makes the day go by a little faster.

Why should I feel insulted? He shows respect to the gold star family community. 

I can go on. 

So, no one is feeling insulted and only feel a new rigor for the mission of protecting you where you sit and typing comments. Under the blanket of protecting provided by them.

How are you qualified to make the assessment military members serving my Nation feel insulted?

Due to Trumps awesome and amazing nominations.

Served in Guantanamo.

So a qualified torturer.

The US campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan were not successes. Only the very initial objectives of regime change were achieved. Everything else failed.

If Pete Hegseth saw on the ground why this happened and has some alternative ideas, he may be a good choice.

If he thinks the same approach and policies will conversely produce better results elsewhere, he is a terrible choice.

If he thinks the same approach and policies will conversely produce better results elsewhere, he is a terrible choice.

He is definitely not part of the latter choice you just outlined

I put your comments into question and asked 10 service members walking by in my PX. 

I just asked 10 service members if they felt insulted.

All Airforce. All enlisted.

Within 20 minutes of the posted comment in the middle of the day in SK you asked 10 random people at the PX their political opinions and drafted this response?

Classify this under things which did not happen.

Why should I feel insulted? He shows respect to the gold star family community. 

I can go on.

Maybe this and you can see you have no idea what you are talking about.

https://vva.org/press-releases/vva-trumps-attack-on-gold-star-family-is-disgraceful-and-un-american/

The cultists are anticipating Make America Great Again 2: The Greatening but memories are very faulty about Trump's previous term which had no greatness.

At least trump is consistent. Always hiring people with no experience (like himself) or point of view on matters they are supposed to be experts on. What could go wrong? Lol

No comment and unaware. But I trust Trump and voted for him.

Awesome!

Oh wait! I haven’t read half of the books ever written on politicians keeping their promises, but trusting Trump to deliver is problematic.

No wall, no getting rid of the debt, no fabulous healthcare at a fraction of the cost last time around.

Plus, you have his habit of lying, exaggerating and trolling - hard to know what exactly he’ll do. Keep an eye on his tariff idea.

Politicians in general shouldn’t be trusted too much and that goes tenfold for Trump.

He’s been scamming the vulnerable and gullible all his life and given his mental decline, I’m not sure how much of what he said he actually remembers saying.

The walls may close in on your hope. Best wait and see what he delivers.

Nice pick Mr. President!!

I love that Trump is picking some outsiders rather than the political establishment!..

And please give Dan Bongino a shot at heading the Secret Service.

These picks so far are quite solid and pretty reasonable.

I’m even ok with the Rubio pick if the plan is to get him out of the Senate and put him out of sight on supervised international travel most of the time.

frees up a Senate seat for Florida Man Byron Donalds!

If the left is mad about these picks, heads are gonna explode with the DOJ and Intel picks. Lots of great people still not selected for stuff (yet).