Historian explains why defense nominee reflects Trump’s 'wronghead values and intentions'

14 January

On Tuesday, January 14, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth — President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of defense — was questioned by a long list of Democratic and GOP senators. And some of the most biting questions came from Democratic Sens. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Kristen Gillibrand of New York State, Jacky Rosen of Nevada, and Mazie Hirono of Hawaii.

Duckworth, herself a military veteran, set out to demonstrate that he was unqualified to lead the Pentagon and was chosen primarily because of his loyalty to Trump.

In an MSNBC column published that day, historian/author Ruth Ben-Ghiatt (who teaches at New York University) argues that Trump had specific motivations in his decision to pick Hegseth for defense secretary. Not only is Hegseth a devoted Trump loyalist, she emphasizes, but also, he shares the president-elect's "wrongheaded" views on the U.S. Armed Forces.

"Like all authoritarian leaders," Ben-Ghiat explains, "Trump values personal loyalty above experience and competence. Yes, Hegseth is a decorated Army National Guard veteran who served overseas in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. But his time as a Fox News host, his staunch defense of Trump's falsehoods, such as Trump's claim that he won the 2020 election, and his personal profile as a seeming rule breaker and rogue personality most likely counted more in Trump's judgment."

The historian/author adds, "In a normal democratic system, Hegseth would never be considered for the post of defense secretary. He has no experience leading any large organization, let alone one as large as the Pentagon."

Hegseth, according to Ben-Ghiat, reflects the "values and intentions of" Trump's "incoming administration" — and that includes his support of "Christian nationalists" and a belief that "women shouldn’t be allowed in combat situations."

Hegseth's "lack of qualifications," Ben-Ghiat argues, would "most likely help create an autocrat’s dream."

"In 2025, the next defense secretary may also preside over a potential radical change in the military’s role in American society — one that could corrode the integrity of the institution if its members are required to commit acts of violence against civilians," Ben-Ghiat warns. "It's no wonder, then, that to sell this authoritarian vision of the military to the American people, Trump has chosen a smooth-talking weekend host of a network that is trusted by his base."

Ruth Ben-Ghiat's full MSNBC column is available at this link.

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