President-elect Donald Trump reaffirmed his unwavering support for Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth on Thursday, using Truth Social to share an op-ed defending Hegseth against a wave of criticism from Democratic opponents. The post, along with Trump’s private reassurances to Hegseth, solidifies his backing despite speculation of alternative choices.
Trump highlighted an article by Miranda Devine of the New York Post, titled, “Dems’ attacks on the intelligent, articulate and patriotic Pete Hegseth show why they lost – a salute to Trump’s defense secretary pick.” In the piece, Devine praised Hegseth’s qualifications, describing him as “intelligent, articulate, patriotic, a graduate of Princeton and Harvard, a combat veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, with two Bronze Stars.” She declared him an “inspired choice to lead the Pentagon and rid it of the woke poison that has sent recruitment levels down the toilet.”
Devine also took aim at critics, contrasting Hegseth’s extensive credentials with past leaders and calling him “the perfect patriot to restore the morale of a dispirited military.” She pointed to recent challenges faced by the armed forces, including the Afghanistan withdrawal and ideological shifts, arguing that Hegseth could reverse these trends. According to Devine, Hegseth’s appointment would address the influence of “critical race theory” and other divisive policies within the military.
In her article, Devine cited Hegseth’s own words from his book, The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free: “There will come a day when they realize they need John McClane — that in fact their ability to live in peace and prosperity has always depended on guys like him being honorable, powerful, and deadly.” She also referenced Hegseth’s comments during an interview on the Shawn Ryan Show, where he criticized diversity and equity initiatives in the military and called for firing military leaders who support such programs.
Devine noted that Hegseth’s nomination unsettled the military-industrial complex and defense contractors, with one lobbyist reportedly asking, “Who the f— is this guy?” Politicians and commentators like John Bolton and Adam Kinzinger also criticized the pick, alongside MSNBC’s Joy Reid, whom Devine accused of elitism for dismissing Hegseth’s Ivy League credentials.
In her conclusion, Devine tied the backlash against Hegseth to broader political shifts, writing, “The times they are a-changing. Trump has the mandate for change, and he is making the most of it.”