December 6, 2024

"Pete Hegseth is doing very well. His support is strong and deep, much more so than the Fake News would have you believe."

"He was a great student - Princeton/Harvard educated - with a Military state of mind. He will be a fantastic, high energy, Secretary of Defense Defense, one who leads with charisma and skill. Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!"

Writes Donald Trump, at Truth Social, wisely standing behind Pete Hegseth.

I say "wisely," because the moment Hegseth is defeated, somebody else will come under attack, just as strongly, and it will not end. The lust to destroy Trump will never be appeased, and he must know that. And don't his enemies know that he knows? They are making him more hardcore. I'm going to assume that's what they want.

75 comments:

Cappy said...

He's right you know

Leland said...

Hegseth doesn't seem ideal to me, but he seems capable of doing the job. We all knew once Trump was elected, Resistance 2.0 would start up. All they are interested in is putting up barriers to Trump pushing forward his agenda. For the Republicans that get in his way, I suggest seeing what happened to Liz Cheney. If that doesn't work, then the GOP will face what the conservative party is facing in the UK. Rather than going down that road, I'm backing Hegseth.

doctrev said...

"More hardcore" might mean wiping out all the traitors who vote for Lloyd Austin but not Pete Hegseth. People weren't that upset about Matt Gaetz, but the more the Uniparty tries to control the cabinet the more hatred they will "Garner."

While backing down too quickly would reflect badly on President Trump instead, the sheer number of cabinet secretaries being opposed for trivial reasons only increase the need for populism.

Goldenpause said...

Common decency does not appear to be a “progressive” virtue.

Caroline said...

All I needed to hear was that no one in the media has bothered to ask hegseth’s cohosts and crew on fox and friends, with whom he worked for 10 years, whether these accusations comport with their experience— and they are unanimously supportive of him.

narciso said...

The perfumed princes bsltway bandits are in revolt

William said...

Garner - - well played.

john mosby said...

Hehheheheheh….she said strong, deep, standing behind, come, lust, and hardcore….heheheheheh….

JSM

Dave Begley said...

Maybe Justice Kavanaugh can testify before the Senate for Pete. The exact same smear tactic. “I like beer.”

Former Illinois resident said...

If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen. If a Trump nominee can't withstand the progressive-left propaganda, then they're likely also not capable of withstanding politically-motivated criticism and attack once in office. Trial by fire, good final vetting tactic.

Nihimon said...

His most diabolical enemies very much want our only choice to be between Communism on the Left and Fascism on the Right, so they push away from the middle without regard to which Authoritarian State eventually wins. (cf. James Lindsay, re: Fabianism)

Dave Begley said...

Althouse is correct. If Pete withdraws, then the pressure on Bobby, Tulsi and Kash goes through the roof.

RCOCEAN II said...

You'd think with all his personnel disappointments Trump would get over his absurd love of Ivy League grads. Imagine in 2024, thinking a degree from Princeton or Harvard is the mark of distiction. Trump would be better off if he refused to nominate a harvard/yale/Princton/columbia grad.

RCOCEAN II said...

Trump needs to fight and bring up the fact, over and over, that these RINOs all voted for biden's Leftwing extreme nominees, like Blinken, Garland, and Mayorkas. And gave as the reason "Biden has the right to choose his own cabinet".

Aggie said...

"Trial by fire, good final vetting tactic"

Until it becomes the primary objective of the exercise, instead of vetting

TickTock said...

"... assume that's what they want ..."

I assume they can't help themselves.

Dixcus said...

They wouldn't be working on Hegseth if Trump had stood behind Gaetz.

The Democrats already know they are in control.

Hegseth is TOAST and this is just Trump issuing a statement of support on his way out the door.

Wince said...

They should tout Hegseth as a morale and recruitment leader. Assistant secretaries can be the procurement technocrats.

R C Belaire said...

Just wondering: If there is no SecDef for, say, 6 months, who runs the Dept in the meantime? Trump himself?

rehajm said...

What ever happened to making them vote on your cabinet? Why is there acceptance of ‘we casually talked amongst ourselves so you need to withdraw’? A suggestion: put their feet to the fire by making them defeat your nominees…

rehajm said...

Just trying to save democracy here…

Peachy said...

Prissy Graham and old fuck McConnell would gladly give our nation to crook liar Merrick.

planetgeo said...

An all-out fight for Secretary of Defense is something I'd like to see, and very appropriate for that position. Time to fight fire with fire. Great opportunity to expose the RINO hypocrites and also reveal if Hegseth has the backbone and the smarts to fight the coming internal battles.

Readering said...

It was Trump who most undermined Hegseth by letting it be known he was considering dumping him for the Governor of Florida. Wisely or unwisely?

mccullough said...

The executive power is the presidents. He may delegate it and revoke it at any time. Trump could deliver mail for the day if he wanted to. He could go on law enforcement raids. Be the guy who kicks in the door.

rehajm said...

…they already got their pick and Gaetz is out. Now it’s Trump’s turn in the world’s shittiest draft…

n.n said...

45 wasn't exactly what we counted for, but 47 promises to be a prime administration.

n.n said...

Trump is publishing the Words of Media Direction.

Jamie said...

I figured the Ivy League thing is an attempt to inoculate a Republican against "no-nothing" accusations from the Left, rather than a Trump preference. But I dunno. My husband used to work for a company whose general counsel, a state college lawyer, wouldn't hire anyone who wasn't Ivy League - we never could figure out why.

My concerns about Hegseth center on his administrative chops, primarily. I'm not crazy about his personal life, but he's far from the first to have that kind of record.

n.n said...

Hegseth was nominated for a position that is playing for all the marbles and will have to temper his mettle in a public furnace. Fight!

Rocco said...

You go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time.

I'm not a Rumsfeld fan, but that quote is spot on.

Mason G said...

"While backing down too quickly would reflect badly on President Trump instead, the sheer number of cabinet secretaries being opposed for trivial reasons only increase the need for populism."

In the last hundred years, only three cabinet nominees have been rejected by the Senate.

All three were Republican nominees.

Mason G said...

Just as long as there's no fighting in the War Room.

The Drill SGT said...

Exactly

The Drill SGT said...

Apparently every Dem voted for every Biden Secretary. For lots of things, the Dems seems like a mob, but they have solid discipline on some votes

rehajm said...

Does that three the include the ‘we counted in the cloak room and yeahnah…’ withdrawals?

Hassayamper said...

... he asserted without evidence....

Original Mike said...

"... he asserted without evidence...."

Yes, wasn't that an anonymously sourced "leak" in a left-media publication?

Dixcus said...

It'd be a hoot if he did. He could recall Milley to active service and then kill him by ordering him to give Trump 20.

Dixcus said...

Only bipartisan stuff that nobody opposes gets done in public. Didn't you hear ... Trump's election was the End of Democracy in the United States.

We're a Dictatorship now.

Ann Althouse said...

Straighten up

AlbertAnonymous said...

This is an easy one. Trump needs to stand by him and demand a hearing while privately bashing all the squishy GOP senators. If they don’t confirm him, MAGA will primary them and put in someone who more aligns with the new GOP the people want. Plus, Trump will then appoint Pete to the highest role in the DOD that does not require confirmation, have someone else confirmed instead (maybe even Ernst) but run all the Trump things through Pete instead of the figurehead. If the figurehead doesn’t like it she can quit (or Trump can fire them) and the Pete can do it all as “Acting Secretary.”

mindnumbrobot said...

Never give up! Never surrender! --Commander Peter Quincy Taggart

Joe Bar said...

Today's latest attack includes pointing out that a Bronze Star award is worthless. Every officer deployed gets one.

Wait. Where's mine? I swear I went to the sandbox twice.

Greg The Class Traitor said...

They are making him more hardcore. I'm going to assume that's what they want.

In this case I think they're just really afraid that Hegseth will disrupt the gravy train.

But I'll say here what I've said on Twitter: Any GOP Senator who votes against him, other than Collins, has ended his / her political career. So as long as Trump refuses to back down, and Hegseth refuses to back down, once it gets to a floor vote they're going to cave.

Anyone who has to try to explain to a GOP Primary pool why they voted for Lloyd Austin for Sec Def, but not for Hegseth, is going to lose their Primary

eLocke said...

Ha. Very clever Althouse.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

@ Caroline I think that some of the cohosts have gone public and said that t he allegations were a crock

Gunner said...

This seems like a misstep by Trump. The guy isn't getting the votes for SecDef. Why doesn't Trump just appoint him to a lower level in the Defense Department? If he does a good job two years down the line, maybe put him higher.

JK Brown said...

Identify the Republicans who fall in line with the Democrats and Deep State. They need a concerted campaign to being replaced in the Senate over the next decade.

Narayanan said...

is Barron Trump old enough to be a Czar of something?

Narayanan said...

can AI solve ideal nominee identification?

Narayanan said...

“You go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time.”
==============
why is this wisdom?
maybe in dire war comes to you = why seek war foolishly for vanity?

Narayanan said...

do service commissaries selll hard liquor or beer?

Narayanan said...

https://www.militarytimes.com/pay-benefits/mil-money/2023/08/02/beer-and-wine-sales-expanded-to-more-commissaries-whats-next/

Narayanan said...

hmmm

Narayanan said...

who were the feckless Presidents?

Narayanan said...

I suggest Vorkosigan Saga as required reading for polcy and military positions

Mason G said...


Democrat presidents always get approval for their nominees. Why shouldn't Trump? Whatever happened to 'muh norms', anyway?

Narayanan said...

why not ask them now? picket their offices in capitol and district states

Mikey NTH said...

Agreed. The nominee has to have the intestinal fortitude to take the pressure, but so must the dominator, lest the detractors take control of the administration.

minnesota farm guy said...

Gaetz was a mistake - or a clever ploy. Either way he has no place in this or any other administration. He is a loose cannon.

lonejustice said...

I beg to differ. Hegseth is a self admitted alcoholic and serial adulterer, not counting the other allegations he is accused of but has not yet admitted to. His professional background is as a television host. He can easily be blackmailed, and thus poses a security risk. Maybe he will work out OK, but I think he is another Matt Gaetz. Trump has over 100 other much more qualified nominees who would do exactly what Hegseth would do but wouldn't pose these risks. Trump should nominate another person like Hegseth without all of his baggage.

john mosby said...

Naranayan: “ is Barron Trump old enough to be a Czar of something?”

Possibly not, but he could be a lower-ranking noble. Like just below a viscount….

JSM

Readering said...

He is being appointed for his outspokeness. Another SOD would not tolerate him hogging limelight. He would not want to toil in the trenches

Readering said...

You should expand your reading/listening. It was everywhere.

victoria said...

Hegseth is compromised trash. Get rid of him, quickly.

Jim at said...

Hegseth is compromised trash. Get rid of him, quickly.

You lost. You have no say in the matter.

boatbuilder said...

Yeah, lonejustice. Imagine what could happen if a guy with "baggage" actually got elected President.

boatbuilder said...

Name one "on the record" source.

boatbuilder said...

Vicki is deeply concerned that Trump might have an ineffective cabinet member. LOL.

rehajm said...

…no more Pasadena? Such a nice place…

Drago said...

victoria is always angry when republican men do not have a history of showering with and sexualizing their adolescent daughters, a horrific biden family practice that victoria called perfectly "normal".

There is clearly some sort of sick thinking coming from victorias compromised family.

Readering said...

AA ever forgets why her commenters are overwhelmingly on one side of the divide, she just has to read this one to be reminded.

Readering said...

Not straight?

Greg The Class Traitor said...

1: Because they haven't voted against him yet
2: Because I have a life