Recent statements made by Fox News host and veteran Pete Hegseth have brought to light concerns about the perceived politicization of the US military. Hegseth, who has been nominated as Donald Trump's pick for secretary of defense, claimed that approximately a third of the military's most senior officers are 'actively complicit' in this politicization.
During an interview on 'The Hugh Hewitt Show,' Hegseth criticized what he referred to as 'woke, CRT, DEI things, gender stuff' that he believes have infiltrated the military. He expressed dissatisfaction with the current state of affairs, suggesting that a significant portion of general and flag officers do not meet the standards of the past.
While Hegseth did not provide specific examples of policies he found problematic, he did mention his opposition to the integration of women into combat units, attributing it to political pressure on the military.
In a separate podcast interview, Hegseth indicated that the incoming Trump administration would need to make significant changes at the Pentagon, including potentially removing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown and other senior leaders involved in what he described as 'DEI woke sh*t.'
Gen. CQ Brown, who became chairman in 2023 and was nominated by former President Trump, has been a trailblazer as the first Black Air Force chief of staff.
Despite the controversy surrounding Hegseth's statements, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Roger Wicker of Mississippi, expressed confidence in Hegseth's qualifications to lead the Department of Defense.
