Summary
Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s nominee for Defense Secretary, has sparked controversy over his extremist rhetoric, detailed in his 2020 book American Crusade.
Hegseth advocates for a “holy war” against leftist “enemies” and envisions a potential civil war if Democrats prevail politically, stating the military and police would need to choose sides.
He openly dismisses democracy, endorses gerrymandering, and promotes nationalist, anti-globalist ideologies.
Critics warn of his loyalty to Trump and his potential support for militarized actions against domestic opposition, raising alarms about his suitability to oversee the Pentagon.
The military has spent a good decade now training soldiers to know what an illegal order is and that they best ignore it.