Pete Hegseth is an outstanding pick by President Trump to be his Secretary of Defense.
I first met Pete Hegseth in 2008, after his service in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Pete was running the group Vets for Freedom and I lobbied with him and other GWOT Veterans, including Medal of Honor recipient David Bellavia, on Capitol Hill in support of our troops in Iraq during the Surge. While there were many questions regarding whether the war was right or wrong, Vets for Freedom focused on supporting the troops in the field and, paraphrasing future comments of President Trumpregarding Iraq, “regardless of whether the war was right or wrong the fact is we are in it now and can’t lose.” In this, Pete fought the leftists who disparaged General David Petraeus and other leaders who supported the troops. Our group, led by Pete,was able to keep Congress supporting the troops in the field and, by doing so, prevented a debacle such as the kind that would later be overseen by a different administration in Afghanistan.
Pete was immediately and highly respected on CapitolHill for his acumen and for taking a stand, on a question of principle, that was frankly not that popularbut turned out to be the correct course of action.
Three years later, in 2011, Pete and I were coincidentally serving in Afghanistan at the same time. There he was a Counterinsurgency instructor and was very well regarded byleadership who were under his tutelage. We corresponded during that time and Pete’s words reflected someone who was thoughtful and insightful regarding unconventional warfare, despite being a conventional officer. He also keenly understood the larger geopolitical situation in Central Asia.
Upon return home from Afghanistan, Pete earned his Master’s Degree in Public Policy from Harvard and then served as Executive Director of Concerned Veterans for America, a role in which he excelled. Despite his strong military credentials, Pete was not afraid even then to take on the War Complex. While advocating for strong defense, Pete also advocated for an audit of many government agencies, including the Pentagon, to stop fraud, waste and abuse. He knew that, among our many enemies, one of the greatest was our fiscal irresponsibility.
Pete has also been a vocal advocate of the Special Relationship between the United States and the State of Israel and an outspoken opponent of anti-Semitism and the DEI initiatives which leftism perpetuates in its pursuit of power; a pursuit aimed at tearing the country apart and subjugating free thought instead of bringing it together through reconciliation. It was not surprising that, as an Afghan Veteran, few spoke more forcefully and eloquently than Pete regarding the moral injury inflicted upon Veterans during the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
Pete has superb credentials to lead the Pentagon but, for those who think otherwise with supposedly “more qualified” people we have seen technocrats like Robert McNamara lead us down the path that was called Viet Nam and then those “leaders” of a generation later who failed to heed its lessons and turned an honorable fight in Afghanistan into another Viet Nam.
Pete is loyal and strong in his convictions but hears different viewpoints before making a decision. I have observed those qualities first-hand. Ten years ago, I reviewed Pete’s first book and asked if he would like to see my review before publishing in case there was any disagreement with it. Pete was steadfast in telling me to print what I wanted, whether he would agree with it or not (incidentally it was a good book). It was a great insight into his person and is the kind of leadership our nation needs. Finally, Pete will be a great Secretary of Defense because, though he wants the job, he does not need it to be complete as a person. I have seen this growth in him, embracing faith and family, something we all should wish and pray for as we gain in years.
Having been one of America’s finest on the front lines Pete will, under President Trump, lead America’s sons and daughters in a transformative era. He has shown courage on the battlefield and has taken initially unpopular stances that turned out to be correct. Pete will be a needed, and necessary, breath of fresh airthat will lead through policy and personal example. He has my prayers, and my support.
*Views in this article are those of the author and not any government agency
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