General Question

Jeruba's avatar

Is confirming Peter Hegseth as Secretary of Defense the insanest thing that Congress has ever done?

Asked by Jeruba (56167points) 1 week ago

If not, what more is out there?

And how do you think this choice will look to us a year from now?

Observing members: 0 Composing members: 0

37 Answers

janbb's avatar

Up til now?

RedDeerGuy1's avatar

Legalizing, horse meat, and declaring pizza a health food is up near the top.

Kardamom's avatar

Impeaching Trump, but choosing not to remove him from office is more egregious.

ragingloli's avatar

How about the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which resulted in the trail of tears and the genocide of native americans?

Blackwater_Park's avatar

The Patriot Act.

Tropical_Willie's avatar

So far – - – - – - just way ! !

hat's avatar

Is this a serious question? It would be difficult to find an act of congress that was not “insane”.

Dutchess_III's avatar

I hope they get him this time @Kardamom.

Dutchess_III's avatar

…..and Mitch McConnel opposed it.

Tropical_Willie's avatar

. . . missing. above “too soon ”

Dutchess_III's avatar

? McConnell opposed Hegsweth’s nomination. It was surprising but I’m glad he did.
I don’t know what “too soon” means.

Tropical_Willie's avatar

So far – – – – – – just way . . too soon.

Worse things will come from the Trump empire for the USA. He has his J6th armed militia for his private purposes.

Trump claims Native Americans are not citizens – - > https://www.juneauempire.com/news/birthright-citizenship-of-native-americans-questioned-by-trump-administration/

Response moderated (Writing Standards)
filmfann's avatar

Not convicting Trump on his second impeachment was much crazier, guano speaking.

Dutchess_III's avatar

2nd impeachment?

seawulf575's avatar

I’m not sure why confirming Hegseth was so insane. It’s not any crazier than putting Alejandro Mayorkas in as the head of DHS. And even though Congress did not have to confirm them, we still had Sam Brinton who was too busy trying to steal women’s clothes out of other people’s luggage to deal with nuclear waste or Rachel Levine being in charge of parts of HHS dealing with the military. Let’s face it, our government has done far crazier things that have been acceptable.

SQUEEKY2's avatar

But you never deflect right Wulfie?

chyna's avatar

I don’t know. Being an alcoholic in charge of defense seems pretty crazy. And giving a woman that you raped 50,000 to keep her mouth shut seems pretty crazy. And cheating on everyone in your life doesn’t make me think he’s reliable enough to head the defense department. But that’s just me.

SQUEEKY2's avatar

No wonder why felon47 likes him so much, he is damn near family ole 47.

Dutchess_III's avatar

Will have the launch codes too?

seawulf575's avatar

@SQUEEKY2 When the question is asked like this, it is not looking for thoughtful discussion. It is looking for GAs and GQs to make the asker feel good about their views. And when thoughtful discussion is presented you suddenly want to act like it is a deflection. Anything short of fully supporting the delusional question is deflection to you. Why do you fear alternate opinions so much? You don’t really argue with what I wrote, you just don’t like that I wrote it.

SQUEEKY2's avatar

Yeah, but you put well your guy was guilty of that ,so our guy ain’t all bad.

seawulf575's avatar

@SQUEEKY2 What was he guilty of? He was accused of things, true, and he admitted that he used to drink a lot. Oh well. I’m willing to bet he isn’t the only one in Congress that has those same afflictions. I’d be willing to bet that some of those that didn’t want him had some of those same afflictions. My point is not that I am saying “our guy isn’t all that bad”, it’s that this question starts with the assumption that he is the worst ever.

And here we are, once again, you are feeling threatened because I didn’t just accept the premise of the question.

Tropical_Willie's avatar

Think @SQUEEKY2 is talking about convicted felon Trump and his appointing a person with a shady background (that is easily forced to do things by Trump) !

seawulf575's avatar

@Tropical_Willie And again…what is your conclusion based on? What makes you think Hegseth will be easily forced to do anything? It is true that his standards and Trump’s run along similar veins, but that isn’t the same thing as what you are suggesting.

jca2's avatar

My problem with Pete Hegseth is not necessarily his character issues, which one could defend him and say they are accusations and there’s no proof, ok, I get that. He can surely promise not to drink and to be a good boy and all that, ok, got it, it’s very possible he behaves and he’s on best behavior for his time serving for Trump.

My problem with him is more about does he have the knowledge and ability to do what he is supposed to do? Usually, when someone is appointed Secretary of Defense, they are a four star General or someone else very high up in military rank, who has served their time, learned what there is to know, knows the ins and outs of the military, the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and most importantly, would know how to wage a war if it ever came down to that.

When I looked at Wikipedia to brush up before typing this, this is what they say about his experience:
After graduating from Princeton University, Hegseth began his career working as an analyst for Bear Stearns. From 2003 to 2014 and again from 2019 to 2021, he served as an infantry officer in the Army National Guard, attaining the rank of Major. He received the Bronze Star while serving in the special operations forces during a combat deployment to Iraq in 2005. In 2014, he voluntarily deployed to Afghanistan to train the Afghan security forces. Following his military service, Hegseth became an active figure in conservative and Republican politics and was the executive director of Vets for Freedom and Concerned Veterans for America. From 2014 to 2025, he was a political commentator for Fox News and was a weekend co-host of Fox & Friends from 2017 to 2024.

He’s what I would call “light” on experience.

When someone does that job as a four star General or something high up, they have earned the respect of those under them. Hegseth is coming in with very little experience, and so that’s where I am hesitant to think this is going to go well.

ragingloli's avatar

@jca2
Competence has never been a criterium for the Orangutan when selecting his goons. Especially not this time around.

SQUEEKY2's avatar

But that doesn’t matter @jca2 ,the only important thing is he is a total Trump yes man,and would never say no to the Don Father.

seawulf575's avatar

@jca2 Of all of that experience, being a Major in the National Guard is the one I would question the most. That he followed that up with actual special forces training AND training of others and served in war time situations help me get past the National Guard piece.

I took your cue and thought I’d compare Hegseth to Lloyd Austin who was Biden’s choice for Sect of Def. Lloyd Austin had a whole lot of army experience, but it was all of the administrative sort for most of his career. He did win the silver star for his work as brigadier commander during Desert Storm. But what I discovered was that he was awarded the silver star for being driven in a command vehicle from Kuwait to Baghdad. Seems a weak excuse for an award. I had a couple of those sort of awards when I was in…not silver stars but other awards that were given to me because I was in the right place at the right time. My sub did something great so I was given an award as were everyone on board. The Silver Star is usually awarded to recognize gallantry. Being driven from Kuwait to Baghdad in a war where the opposition was busy surrendering in droves doesn’t seem to meet my definition of gallantry. So yes, Austin was a 4 star general, but his actual experience seems no more than Hegseths.

And here’s a thought to consider: when I was in, senior enlisted personnel were often more highly esteemed than most junior officers. When you are in the military, you often earn respect rather than just getting it.

The part I think I would have liked to hear Hegseth get questioned on and what his answers would be involved his ability to suddenly lead people he formerly worked for. Did he have any outstanding grudges? Did he consider the senior officers as a whole (they are all idiots) or as individuals (that one is outstanding, that one is dangerously foolish). But the questions from the Dems were more trying to say his character wasn’t up to their standards. Talk about a joke that is too sad to laugh at!

jca2's avatar

I was reading an opinion piece in the NY Times the other day, and they were saying Democrats lost their chance to question Hegseth not on his character accusations about drinking, drugging, sex, whatever crap they were focused on, but they should have talked to him about his military skills and abilities. That they didn’t showed they were all mired up in the gossip and should have been more into the task at hand, which was or should have been his competency doing the job of Secretary of Defense.

ragingloli's avatar

@jca2 None of that would have mattered either.

JLeslie's avatar

Hegseth’s tattoos are a non starter for me. Am I right no one questioned him about the tattoos and why he has them? No one asked what were the circumstances that prompted him to get those tattoos at the time? They scream Christian extremist to me, which is mot a good thing in my book. No religious extremist is ok in my book. Being devout and practicing is fine as long as it is a religion that is promoting acceptance, coexistence, making the world a better place, and jibes with what the US is supposed to be not some white supremacist fantasy.

RocketGuy's avatar

How about Russian apologist Tulsi Gabbard for National Intelligence? Made many trips to kowtow with Putin.

Lightlyseared's avatar

The insanest thing they’ve done yet

RocketGuy's avatar

Not insane if you look at it from Putin’s point of view.

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