Politics

President-elect, Donald Trump, stunned the Pentagon and the defense community at large by nominating Fox News host, Pete Hegseth, as defense secretary, tapping a largely inexperienced and internationally untested person to take charge of the world’s largest and most powerful military.

The news was greeted with bewilderment and alarm by many in Washington, as Mr. Trump passed over a number of national security heavyweights and chose a lowly National Guard officer who is well-known in conservative circles as co-host of the “Fox & Friends Weekend” show on the pro-Trump Fox News channel.

While some Republican figures reacted mutedly to the announcement, others called his combat experience a strength or said he was “extremely competent”.

The choice of Mr. Hegseth could lead to sweeping changes within the military. He has made clear on his show and in interviews that, like Mr. Trump, he opposes “woke” programs that promote equity and inclusion. He has also questioned the role of women in combat and advocated pardoning service members accused of war crimes.

Mr. Hegseth, 44, is a staunch conservative and a loyalist to Donald Trump’s inner circle. He advocates making the military more lethal. In an interview on “The Shawn Ryan Show,” he said allowing women to serve in combat undermines that desire.

“Everything about men and women serving together (in the military) makes it more complicated, and the complication in combat means the casualties are higher,” Mr. Hegseth said.

If he believes diversity in the military is a strength, it's because minority men and white men can perform similarly, which is not the case for women, he says.

(MH with Lpr with AP and agencies/Picture: Unsplash)