The DVMFC Was Right—Remove Hegseth Now!

In November 2024, when Trump floated Pete Hegseth as a candidate for Defense Secretary, the Caucus published a blog post titled “Pete Hegseth Is an Inappropriate Choice for Secretary of Defense.” While the title grossly understated his lack of fitness to be SecDef, we were spot-on in our reasons for why he was a poor choice.

In the post we wrote, “Selecting a Secretary of Defense is one of the most critical decisions for safeguarding national security and upholding democratic values. Pete Hegseth’s record and public statements raise significant doubts about his ability to lead the Department of Defense effectively and impartially.” We then listed five points why we believed he was a poor choice. By his actions over the past 10 months, our reasoning has proven correct.

Disregard for the Rule of Law: Hegseth’s rhetoric and actions have shown he has no respect for democratic norms or the rule of law. Since September, he’s directed the campaign of destroying suspected drug-running boats, which has killed more than 80 people. The Washington Post reported that in the first strike he ordered on a suspected drug boat, on September 5, he directed the military team to “kill everybody,” with the first missile followed by a second strike that killed two survivors, actions that would constitute war crimes. Additionally, a federal judge ruled that he and President Trump violated the Posse Comitatus Act by using U.S. troops for domestic law enforcement during an immigration crackdown in Los Angeles, CA.

Religious Extremism: Hegseth has brought specific Christian beliefs into government and military life, raising concerns about violating the separation of church and state. Since taking office, he has organized monthly Christian prayer services in the Pentagon auditorium during duty hours and frequently references his faith in official settings. He has described military missions in biblical terms, posted Bible verses on official Defense Department accounts, and once asked troops to recite the Lord’s Prayer with him, later posting the video set to military imagery. He promotes “spiritual readiness” as central to military service and has said he wants the names of God and Jesus “spoken inside our formations.” He is also a member of the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches (CREC), a denomination whose leaders advocate for a Christian nation where non-Christians could be barred from public office.

Lack of Experience: Hegseth’s tenure has been marked by internal conflict, feuds with senior military leaders, and high staff turnover. His comments appearing to favor Russia during his first European trip drew bipartisan criticism, and he later mocked the boat-strike controversy by posting a cartoon meme. The in-person meeting he called for on September 30, which hundreds of senior military leaders, including all U.S. generals and admirals in command positions and their top enlisted advisers, were required to attend, was considered a “waste of time” by many attendees, and some considered resigning over it.

Attacks on Women in the Military: Hegseth has long argued that women should not serve in combat, calling integration “woke” and harmful to readiness. Since taking office, he has removed or reassigned several high-ranking female officers and pushed changes to reporting systems that critics say will silence victims of harassment. These moves are further complicated by past sexual-assault allegations he denies and settled out of court.

Tom Nichols, a journalist and a professor emeritus of national security affairs at the U.S. Naval War College, recently wrote an article for The Atlantic titled “Pete Hegseth Needs to Go—Now.” In the essay, Nichols notes that, “Posting stupid memes after being accused of murder is not the response of a patriot who must answer to the public about the security of the United States and its people in uniform. It is not the response of a secretary of defense who values the advice of the officers who report to him. It is not the response of a human being who comprehends the risks—and the costs—of ordering other people to kill helpless men clinging to the wreck of a boat. It is, instead, the response of a sneering, spoiled punk…Hegseth is unqualified and incompetent, and he should have been fired months ago.”

We agree. We were right about this clown all along, and we echo Nichols’ call that he “needs to go now.” If you also agree, please contact our Senators, Chris Coons and Lisa Blunt Rochester, and urge them to demand that Hegseth be removed immediately. Our national defense and the safety and welfare of our military members demand competency and seriousness in the leadership of the Department of Defense. Hegseth is incapable of leading such a critical organization. He needs to go.

Also, the Caucus will be selling t-shirts. Let us know if you want one.