Pete Hegseth wants warriors, quickness and lethality above all else
FOX Business host Larry Kudlow reacts to Trump’s confirmation hearing for Secretary of Defense on “Kudlow.”
Pete Hegseth shined today during his more than four-hour hearing to become Secretary of Defense. He opened by speaking about his mission to restore the warrior spirit to the Pentagon, rebuild the military, and reestablish deterrence on the world stage.
Pete Hegseth: “When President Trump selected me for this position, the primary mission he gave me was to restore a warrior culture to the Department of Defense. I want a pentagon Focused on lethality, meritocracy, combat responsibility and preparation. // He believes, and I humbly agree, that it’s time to hand over the helm to those with dusty shoes and change agents. ”
NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 9: Fox anchor Pete Hegseth speaks with entrepreneur and venture capitalist Peter Thiel on “FOX & Friends” at the Fox News Channel Studios on August 9, 2019 in New York City. Interview with (Photo by John Lamparke/Getty Images) (John Lamparski/Getty Images)
Mr. Hegseth will be a military defense secretary, not another bureaucrat, senior official, or even someone in the military-industrial chamber — emphasizing his experience with “dust on his shoes” on the battlefield. Let’s listen:
Pete Hegseth: “I’ve led troops in combat. I’ve been out on patrol for days. I pulled the trigger. I heard bullets flying. I was handcuffed by insurgents, called in close air support, rescued paramedics. He led soldiers, evaded an IED, and retreated. Kneeling before a dead body and a cross on the battlefield, this is not academic for me.”
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Hegseth’s standards may be high, but when he wakes up, his DEI is very low.
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Hegseth, a highly decorated veteran who served in combat zones in both Afghanistan and Iraq, has said many times that he wants to be a warrior, responsive and lethal above all else. Here’s another clip for today:
Pete Hegseth: “We won World War II with seven four-star generals. We now have 44 four-star generals. There is an inverse relationship between staff size and staff size. victory on the battlefield. We don’t need more bureaucracy at the top. We need more empowered fighters at the end. ”
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And all Democrats could do was attack him personally for more than four hours, citing unproven anonymous smears.
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The Democratic Party was incredibly partisan. No one supported Hegseth at all. And none of the Democrats acknowledged Biden’s failures to confront Afghanistan, Russia-Ukraine, appeasement of Iran, weak support for Israel, or China.
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Hegseth becomes an unconventional reform agent at the Pentagon. Even the destroyer. That’s what the country wants. And although he is also a man of faith, he has made mistakes in the past, just like the rest of us. But like all of us sinners, he is also striving to change himself. Let’s listen:
Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) reacts to the Senate confirmation hearing for Trump Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth on “Evening Edit.”
Pete Hegseth: “I am not a perfect person, but I acknowledge that I have been saved by the grace of God through Jesus and Jenny. He trained me in a way that I was ready to go. ”
I love it, I just love it. And my holy wife knows something about it herself. That’s the riff.
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This article is an excerpt from Larry Kudlow’s opening commentary in the January 14, 2025 edition of “Kudlow.”