Trump's defense pick doesn't wash his hands—and 17 other ghastly facts
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Donald Trump has chosen Fox News host Pete Hegseth to be his nominee to serve as secretary of defense. If his nomination is successful, Hegseth will be in charge of the most powerful military in human history, and his decisions will have a ripple effect that will eventually touch the lives of every person on Earth. This is quite a portfolio to put in the grasp of a man who claims he didn’t wash his hands for 10 years, has a well-documented history of bigotry across religions and gender, and whose biggest qualification seems to be his frequent appearances on Trump’s favorite propaganda outlet. Here are 17 wild things we know about Pete Hegseth. 1. Hegseth said he didn’t wash his hands for 10 years In 2019, on “Fox & Friends,” Hegseth said, “I don’t think I’ve washed my hands for 10 years. Really, I don’t really wash my hands ever.” He went on to say, “I inoculate myself. Germs are not a real thing. I can’t see them; therefore, they’re not real.” YouTube Video 2. Hegseth said women should not serve in military combat roles In a Nov. 7 appearance on the “Shawn Ryan Show,” Hegseth called for a blanket ban on women serving in combat roles in the military. “I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles. It hasn’t made us more effective, hasn’t made us more lethal, has made fighting more complicated,” Hegseth said. Pete Hegseth 5 days ago: "I'm straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles." pic.twitter.com/0W3LDSakud— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 13, 2024 3. Hegseth was removed from the National Guard detail securing Biden’s inauguration In 2021, Hegseth was one of 12 National Guard members removed from the team selected to secure incoming President Joe Biden’s inauguration. Pentagon officials told the Associated Press at the time that all 12 had ties to right-wing militia groups or they had made extremist posts online. 4. Hegseth is an anti-Muslim bigot Hegseth has repeatedly attacked Muslims and complained about Muslims who live in the United States. He called Muslims moving to France a “slow-motion 9/11” and issued a warning about “Muslims’ birth rates” growing in states like Michigan and Minnesota. 5. Hegseth claimed separation of church and state is not in the Constitution In a May 2023 appearance on “Fox & Friends,” when a guest mentioned the separation of church and state, Hegseth said, “That's not in the Constitution, but that's a whole other thing.” For the record, the First Amendment of the Constitution says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” 6. Hegseth said Democrats were “rooting” for COVID-19 After Democrats raised concerns about the Trump administration’s inept early response to the COVID-19 outbreak in February 2020, Hegseth lashed out. On “Fox & Friends,” he said, “I don't relish the reality, but you start to feel—you really do, watch the Democrats, watch the media—you start to feel like they're rooting for coronavirus to spread.” 7. Hegseth said COVID was nothing to worry about After a March 2020 state of emergency was declared in New York over COVID-19, Hegseth downplayed concerns about the virus. “I feel like the more I learn about this, the less there is to worry about,” he said on “Fox & Friends.” Ultimately, more than 1.2 million Americans have died from COVID-19 since January 2020. 8. Hegseth defended mercenaries who killed Iraqi civilians In 2019, on “Fox & Friends,” Hegseth came to the defense of contractors for the private military company Blackwater who were convicted of killing over a dozen unarmed civilians in Iraq. Hegseth also reportedly lobbied for pardons for the men from Donald Trump. 9. Hegseth worked with lobbyists for colleges that ripped off military veterans Hegseth worked with the lobbyist group Career Education Colleges and Universities as a spokesperson. While activists were attempting to close a loophole in federal law that allowed for-profit colleges to exploit military veterans, Hegseth spoke out against possible government action, even though the change would help veterans. 10. Hegseth said diversity in the military is “garbage” Military leaders have frequently said diversity aids the military because divergent views help to prevent groupthink and increase preparedness against adversaries. In June, Hegseth said he disagrees. “The Pentagon likes to say our diversity is our strength. What a bunch of garbage,” he said. “In the military, our diversity is not our strength. Our unity is our strength. We need a commander-in-chief who understands that, Donald Trump certainly does, getting woke out will go a long way to making sure we are top in the world.” 11. Hegseth called for a “preemptive” military strike against North Korea In 2017, again on “Fox & Friends,” Hegseth said that there was “merit” to a preemptive military strike against North Korea. The traditional, bipartisan approach toward North Korea has been containment, with the goal of deescalating regional tensions since North Korea has achieved nuclear capability. 12. Hegseth praised the violent attack against Nancy Pelosi’s husband Following the assault on former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, Hegseth said on a May edition of “Jesse Watters Primetime” that “Paul Pelosi needs the hammer.” The attack on Pelosi left him with a fractured skull. And the perpetrator was charged with attempted homicide, attempted kidnapping, home invasion, and assault with a deadly weapon among multiple state and federal crimes. He was found guilty of all charges and sentenced to life in prison. 13. Hegseth supported using the racist term “kung flu” In 2020, following the COVID-19 outbreak, Trump used the racist term “kung flu” to refer to the virus, which originated in China. In an appearance on known racist Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show, Hegseth defended the rhetoric. “Well, say it with me, Tucker: Wuhan virus, Chinese virus, maybe even the kung flu. You know, a little off color, but funny and you know, we still live in a free country last time I checked,” he said. 14. Hegseth defended Jan. 6 rioters On the day after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters hoping to overturn the election results, Hegseth praised them. “These are not conspiracy theorists motivated just by lies—that's a bunch of nonsense that people want to tell us,” Hegseth said. “These are people that understand first principles, they love freedom and they love free markets. And they see exactly what the anti-American left has done to America—indoctrinating our kids, opening our borders, canceling individuals, totally censoring entire viewpoints, all the double standards that exist in our country right now.” 15. Hegseth pushed Donald Trump’s 2020 election conspiracies Days after his own network had called the 2020 election for Biden, Hegseth continued to promote Trump’s lies about the election results. “The campaign has actually alleged there is widespread and systemic fraud on the ground where signatures were not verified against ballots that were counted, ballots that arrived late were counted, the ballots that were mailed in were treated differently than people than people that voted at the polls,” Hegseth said in a Nov. 22, 2020, appearance on Fox News. He later added, “It is premature to declare that Joe Biden is the president-elect.” 16. Hegseth blamed the Russian invasion of Ukraine on America In 2022, on “The Five” while discussing Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine, Hegseth inexplicably blamed America. “I don't think that Vladimir Putin believes his adversaries are fundamentally serious right now. He doesn't believe the West is a serious civilization. We're running around talking about genders and reparations and all of this. He sees us divided, he sees us as self-loathing, he—and as a result, he thinks this is his moment to make an aggressive move,” Hegseth said. 17. Hegseth praised fighter who said women should stay in the kitchen After a UFC fighter wore a shirt that said “A Woman In Every Kitchen,” Hegseth joined repeat misogynist and fellow Fox News host Jesse Watters in praising the apparel. If Hegseth becomes the public face of the U.S. military, it will fundamentally transform the national and international perception of what has traditionally been one of the unifying forces in American culture—and not for the better. Campaign Action
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/11/13/2285935/-Trump-s-defense-pick-doesn-t-wash-his-hands-and-17-other-ghastly-facts?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=main
Donald Trump has chosen Fox News host Pete Hegseth to be his nominee to serve as secretary of defense. If his nomination is successful, Hegseth will be in charge of the most powerful military in human history, and his decisions will have a ripple effect that will eventually touch the lives of every person on Earth. This is quite a portfolio to put in the grasp of a man who claims he didn’t wash his hands for 10 years, has a well-documented history of bigotry across religions and gender, and whose biggest qualification seems to be his frequent appearances on Trump’s favorite propaganda outlet. Here are 17 wild things we know about Pete Hegseth. 1. Hegseth said he didn’t wash his hands for 10 years In 2019, on “Fox & Friends,” Hegseth said, “I don’t think I’ve washed my hands for 10 years. Really, I don’t really wash my hands ever.” He went on to say, “I inoculate myself. Germs are not a real thing. I can’t see them; therefore, they’re not real.” YouTube Video 2. Hegseth said women should not serve in military combat roles In a Nov. 7 appearance on the “Shawn Ryan Show,” Hegseth called for a blanket ban on women serving in combat roles in the military. “I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles. It hasn’t made us more effective, hasn’t made us more lethal, has made fighting more complicated,” Hegseth said. Pete Hegseth 5 days ago: "I'm straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles." pic.twitter.com/0W3LDSakud— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 13, 2024 3. Hegseth was removed from the National Guard detail securing Biden’s inauguration In 2021, Hegseth was one of 12 National Guard members removed from the team selected to secure incoming President Joe Biden’s inauguration. Pentagon officials told the Associated Press at the time that all 12 had ties to right-wing militia groups or they had made extremist posts online. 4. Hegseth is an anti-Muslim bigot Hegseth has repeatedly attacked Muslims and complained about Muslims who live in the United States. He called Muslims moving to France a “slow-motion 9/11” and issued a warning about “Muslims’ birth rates” growing in states like Michigan and Minnesota. 5. Hegseth claimed separation of church and state is not in the Constitution In a May 2023 appearance on “Fox & Friends,” when a guest mentioned the separation of church and state, Hegseth said, “That's not in the Constitution, but that's a whole other thing.” For the record, the First Amendment of the Constitution says, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” 6. Hegseth said Democrats were “rooting” for COVID-19 After Democrats raised concerns about the Trump administration’s inept early response to the COVID-19 outbreak in February 2020, Hegseth lashed out. On “Fox & Friends,” he said, “I don't relish the reality, but you start to feel—you really do, watch the Democrats, watch the media—you start to feel like they're rooting for coronavirus to spread.” 7. Hegseth said COVID was nothing to worry about After a March 2020 state of emergency was declared in New York over COVID-19, Hegseth downplayed concerns about the virus. “I feel like the more I learn about this, the less there is to worry about,” he said on “Fox & Friends.” Ultimately, more than 1.2 million Americans have died from COVID-19 since January 2020. 8. Hegseth defended mercenaries who killed Iraqi civilians In 2019, on “Fox & Friends,” Hegseth came to the defense of contractors for the private military company Blackwater who were convicted of killing over a dozen unarmed civilians in Iraq. Hegseth also reportedly lobbied for pardons for the men from Donald Trump. 9. Hegseth worked with lobbyists for colleges that ripped off military veterans Hegseth worked with the lobbyist group Career Education Colleges and Universities as a spokesperson. While activists were attempting to close a loophole in federal law that allowed for-profit colleges to exploit military veterans, Hegseth spoke out against possible government action, even though the change would help veterans. 10. Hegseth said diversity in the military is “garbage” Military leaders have frequently said diversity aids the military because divergent views help to prevent groupthink and increase preparedness against adversaries. In June, Hegseth said he disagrees. “The Pentagon likes to say our diversity is our strength. What a bunch of garbage,” he said. “In the military, our diversity is not our strength. Our unity is our strength. We need a commander-in-chief who understands that, Donald Trump certainly does, getting woke out will go a long way to making sure we are top in the world.” 11. Hegseth called for a “preemptive” military strike against North Korea In 2017, again on “Fox & Friends,” Hegseth said that there was “merit” to a preemptive military strike against North Korea. The traditional, bipartisan approach toward North Korea has been containment, with the goal of deescalating regional tensions since North Korea has achieved nuclear capability. 12. Hegseth praised the violent attack against Nancy Pelosi’s husband Following the assault on former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, Hegseth said on a May edition of “Jesse Watters Primetime” that “Paul Pelosi needs the hammer.” The attack on Pelosi left him with a fractured skull. And the perpetrator was charged with attempted homicide, attempted kidnapping, home invasion, and assault with a deadly weapon among multiple state and federal crimes. He was found guilty of all charges and sentenced to life in prison. 13. Hegseth supported using the racist term “kung flu” In 2020, following the COVID-19 outbreak, Trump used the racist term “kung flu” to refer to the virus, which originated in China. In an appearance on known racist Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show, Hegseth defended the rhetoric. “Well, say it with me, Tucker: Wuhan virus, Chinese virus, maybe even the kung flu. You know, a little off color, but funny and you know, we still live in a free country last time I checked,” he said. 14. Hegseth defended Jan. 6 rioters On the day after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters hoping to overturn the election results, Hegseth praised them. “These are not conspiracy theorists motivated just by lies—that's a bunch of nonsense that people want to tell us,” Hegseth said. “These are people that understand first principles, they love freedom and they love free markets. And they see exactly what the anti-American left has done to America—indoctrinating our kids, opening our borders, canceling individuals, totally censoring entire viewpoints, all the double standards that exist in our country right now.” 15. Hegseth pushed Donald Trump’s 2020 election conspiracies Days after his own network had called the 2020 election for Biden, Hegseth continued to promote Trump’s lies about the election results. “The campaign has actually alleged there is widespread and systemic fraud on the ground where signatures were not verified against ballots that were counted, ballots that arrived late were counted, the ballots that were mailed in were treated differently than people than people that voted at the polls,” Hegseth said in a Nov. 22, 2020, appearance on Fox News. He later added, “It is premature to declare that Joe Biden is the president-elect.” 16. Hegseth blamed the Russian invasion of Ukraine on America In 2022, on “The Five” while discussing Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine, Hegseth inexplicably blamed America. “I don't think that Vladimir Putin believes his adversaries are fundamentally serious right now. He doesn't believe the West is a serious civilization. We're running around talking about genders and reparations and all of this. He sees us divided, he sees us as self-loathing, he—and as a result, he thinks this is his moment to make an aggressive move,” Hegseth said. 17. Hegseth praised fighter who said women should stay in the kitchen After a UFC fighter wore a shirt that said “A Woman In Every Kitchen,” Hegseth joined repeat misogynist and fellow Fox News host Jesse Watters in praising the apparel. If Hegseth becomes the public face of the U.S. military, it will fundamentally transform the national and international perception of what has traditionally been one of the unifying forces in American culture—and not for the better. Campaign Action
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/11/13/2285935/-Trump-s-defense-pick-doesn-t-wash-his-hands-and-17-other-ghastly-facts?pm_campaign=blog&pm_medium=rss&pm_source=main