Pete Hegseth Will Return “Warrior Ethos” To Pentagon
January 14, 2025
As he begins his confirmation hearings on Capitol Hill, Pete Hegseth, President Donald J. Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense, is ready to demonstrate why he is exceptionally qualified for the job.
There's a reason he has already earned broad support across Capitol Hill and beyond. Hegseth is a decorated veteran who served tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and guard at Guantanamo Bay — and was awarded two Bronze Stars and a Combat Infantryman Badge for his service. He has two Ivy League degrees and has spent his career advocating on behalf of veterans.
Here's what they're saying:
- Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY): "Pete Hegseth is a strong nominee to lead the Department of Defense. We had an excellent discussion about the need for America's military to remain the best in the world. That means taking care of our service members, equipping them with the latest technology, and focusing on making our military the most lethal force on the planet. Pete pledged that the Pentagon will focus on strength and hard power — not the current administration's woke political agenda."
- Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK): "I think he's perfect. He's a decorated combat veteran. He's got two Bronze Stars, 20 years in service ... The guy is a solid, solid individual. He's the right man for the job."
- Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA): "I think he is going to be a very strong secretary of defense."
- Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN): "Pete is a warrior, an advocate for veterans, and a well qualified nominee. He will put our enemies on notice and make our military great again."
- Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS): "I think he's going to be in pretty good shape."
- Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-TN): "I had an outstanding meeting with Pete Hegseth, a decorated combat veteran who put his own life on the line for America. Pete knows that the Defense Secretary’s job is to empower the men and women of our military to carry out their patriotic duty, not consign them to serve as political pawns in a broken Washington. A great choice by @realDonaldTrump to change Washington, and I look forward to supporting his confirmation."
- Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL): "Pete is 100% committed to building a lethal military that's feared by our enemies & respected by our allies, while doing more to take care of those who serve our nation & their families. He will do a great job leading the @DeptofDefense."
- Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC): "[Hegseth is] an impressive individual ... I'm certainly going to support President Trump and his agenda and his nominees."
- Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL): "At Defense, [President Trump] tapped Pete Hegseth, a veteran who served two tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. His Ivy League-educated, businessman background — that's what we need in the Pentagon right now."
- Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND): "I think he's great."
- Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS): "Pete Hegseth has my full-throated support ... He will be a transformational figure."
- Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN): "I fully support Pete Hegseth. He is eminently more qualified than secretary Austin… who disappeared on the job, who instructed the disastrous, deadly withdrawal of Afghanistan, and created a woke political mess at the pentagon that pete is going to clean up."
- Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD): "I think his focus on what he wants to do with the Department of Defense is the right one ... bringing back the lethal approach ... and getting rid of all the DEI crap."
- Speaker Mike Johnson: "Pete brings a lot to the table. He's got experience, and I think he'll be reform-minded in the areas that need reform."
And it's not just on Capitol Hill. Those who served with Hegseth say he's the man for the job:
- Derek McCall: "...the Department of Defense needs a proven leader. It needs someone who has a deep understanding of service, sacrifice, and the American warrior spirit. Pete Hegseth is exactly the man for the job."
- Eric Geressy: "He breathes the military. That’s all he talks about. Pete's extremely smart. He’s very articulate, he’s a critical thinker, and he’s going to learn from the experts and get a lot of good information from folks."
- Chip Rankin: "He was going through a vehicle that got blown up, and there were dead people, people that were fighting through our lives. And Pete went right into that situation, and performed admirably in a very, very challenging situation ... He could have been killed, and he never hesitated."
- Jurandir "J" Araujo: "I immediately noticed his dedication and commitment to the mission, and not only to the mission but to his men."