reality TV star, Donald Trump, taps Fox news presenter as Secretary of Defense.
and that's probably not great.
Good day, spectators,
You know I take great pleasure in delivering you piping-hot dystopian news from our Orwellian reality and today is no different.
So, soon-to-be president Donald Trump has tapped Fox News host and former Army National Guardsman Pete Hegseth as the next Secretary of Defense. It’s the latest in a series of appointments where loyalty to Trump (and Israel) seems more important than relevant experience. For those not as well-versed in military hierarchy as I am, it’s worth pointing out that Hegseth’s rank as a major is a very far cry from the four-star general currently holding the position. I suppose ultimately, it doesn’t matter to the victims of the American Empire who holds the reins but at least the incumbent is not throwing tantrums on national television every other day.
Hegseth’s record includes the classic; service in Iraq, Afghanistan, and notably, Guantanamo Bay—a place that stands as a dark stain on America’s international reputation, given its innumerable human rights abuses, indefinite detentions, and controversial ‘very advanced’ interrogation methods. In Hegseth, Trump seems to have chosen someone who not only lacks the credentials but also has direct ties to one of the most notorious symbols of U.S. overreach in recent history. If that’s the direction for U.S. defence leadership, it’s insidious indeed. Like, supervillain level.
Holding the rank of major is simply not the same as commanding at the level of a four-star general. While majors can have substantial field experience, they lack the higher-level strategy and oversight capabilities developed through decades of military leadership and alliance management. Whether I like him or not, the current Defence Secretary, Lloyd Austin, has been a career soldier with a depth of experience that allows him to understand the full complexity of modern defence. Hegseth, on the other hand, brings Fox News commentary and a populist soundbite against what he deems as “woke” military policies, but not the expertise in global strategy or military command that the role not only needs but demands.
The Secretary of Defense isn’t just some kind of military advisor which is what I think Trump seems to believe—it’s the most senior civilian defence official, responsible for advising the president on defence policy, overseeing the Pentagon’s budget, and liaising with foreign allies. I’m not going to lie, chief, these are not skills one picks up talking shite on Fox. Yet Trump seems to think they are. I just don’t understand what the ability to rile up audiences on cable news has to do with this position.
*aggressive sigh*
So what can we plebs expect from a Secretary of Defense whose background is more pundit than policy? I reckon the best we can hope for is a tilt toward ideological policies that echo Trump’s populism. And the worst? Well, we’re looking at an administration prioritising loyalty over qualification, unadulterated nepotism.
When it comes to national security, do we really want the person with the microphone to be the one with the least relevant experience? Trump’s answer seems clear—but for the rest of us, it should raise serious concerns about the future of U.S. defence.
I don’t think we’re alone either, I expect this decision will cause a lot of concern from within. So let’s watch this one closely.
And on that note, I will leave you,
(Thanks for reading as always and please give this post a ❤️ and restack below to show support for the Magazine.)
They are all pretty awful so far, no?
The question is how will the armed forces receive him? Is he risking a revolt?