WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald Trump’s appointment of Army veteran and Fox News commentator Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary marks a departure from the tradition of selecting Pentagon leaders with extensive backgrounds in government, military, or industry.

Trump’s intention seems to be to introduce a fresh perspective, identifying Hegseth as someone who can invigorate an establishment he views as outdated and uncooperative, based on insights from military analysts and various Defense insiders. Hegseth has made clear his strategy for managing the Pentagon, which includes dismissing generals who endorse “woke” policies, revoking combat roles for women, and loosening regulations governing troop behavior during combat.

However, achieving significant change within the Pentagon’s vast structure, which includes 2.3 million military and civilian personnel along with a staggering $900 billion budget, has proven difficult for even the most seasoned secretaries of defense.

“The Secretary of Defense role is far more complicated than many realize,” said Peter Feaver, a Duke University professor specializing in civilian-military relations. “It involves navigating a budget larger than the GDP of many nations and managing payrolls that surpass even the biggest corporations worldwide.”

The Secretary of Defense is accountable to a “board” comprising 435 members of Congress and the president, Feaver pointed out. They must keep up with advancements in military technology and tackle unavoidable global crises.

“The strategy and policy hurdles are significant due to adversaries actively working against your initiatives,” Feaver added.

Trump has expressed confidence in Hegseth’s capabilities.

“Pete has dedicated his life as a champion for the troops and the nation,” Trump stated. “He is tough, intelligent, and genuinely believes in America First. With Pete guiding us, our military will thrive again, and America will not retreat.”

Targeting the ‘Woke’ Military Agenda

In a recent podcast interview, Hegseth stated that the Trump administration ought to dismiss anyone in the Pentagon associated with “woke” initiatives and DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) policies.

“We need to let go of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs,” he insisted. “Any general, whether they are a general or an admiral, who has endorsed any of the DEI woke initiatives must be removed.”

Air Force General CQ Brown, who previously served as chief of staff under Trump and now holds the position of chairman of the Joint Chiefs, addressed issues of racism within the military and society following George Floyd’s death in 2020. Brown, a Black leader, was nominated by President Joe Biden to be the military’s highest-ranking officer.

While Hegseth’s points are significant, a senior military officer, speaking anonymously, noted that such issues do not consume a substantial portion of the military’s focus, resources, or efforts. The officer highlighted matters concerning transgender service members and the funding for reproductive health services as part of the ongoing dialogue. Under Trump, a ban on transgender military service was implemented; this was promptly revoked by Biden after he took office. Following court rulings, the previous ban had excluded service for members needing gender-affirming healthcare. A think tank focusing on LGBT service issues, the Palm Center, estimates around 14,000 transgender individuals serve in the active-duty military and reserve forces totaling 2 million.

Another point of contention for conservatives is the Pentagon’s policy that grants leave and travel expenses for reproductive healthcare, including abortion, for military personnel and their families in states where such services are inaccessible. The Pentagon only covers abortions if the mother’s life is endangered or in cases of rape or incest.

Women and Combat Roles

Hegseth has also expressed that women should be removed from combat positions within the military.

“It hasn’t improved our effectiveness, has not made us deadlier, and has complicated operations on the ground,” he argued.

Retired Navy Captain Lory Manning, who has more than 25 years of service, strongly disagrees.

“He is fundamentally mistaken,” she asserted.

Manning emphasized that women in service endure the same standards as men and remarked on the difficulty of replacing the approximately 17.5% of active-duty personnel who are women (as of 2022).

“I can’t fathom where he would find enough men to fill those roles. It might necessitate reinstating the draft,” she speculated.

Pardons for War Crimes

Hegseth is known for interacting directly with Trump to advocate for the pardons of several military personnel who were found guilty of war crimes and killing unarmed civilians overseas.

After Edward Gallagher, a Navy SEAL, was found guilty by military courts for taking a photo with the body of a teenage Islamic State fighter in Iraq, Hegseth worked diligently from his position at Fox News to secure Gallagher’s pardon. Gallagher was also accused but acquitted of fatally stabbing the teenager and killing two other Iraqi civilians.

Additionally, Hegseth urged Trump to pardon Army 1st Lt. Clint Lorance, who received a 19-year prison sentence for ordering the shooting of unarmed Afghans, resulting in two deaths, and Maj. Mathew Golsteyn, who faced murder charges for killing a suspected bomb maker in Afghanistan after being ordered to release him.

Following several direct discussions with Hegseth, Trump pardoned all three individuals in 2019, as reported by the Washington Post. He also reversed Gallagher’s demotion and restored his rank and pay.

After Trump pardoned four Blackwater contractors who were convicted of killing 14 unarmed Iraqi civilians in 2007, Hegseth praised the president on Fox News, stating, “God bless the president for having the courage that many other presidents would not have to pardon those men.”

Implementing reforms in the Pentagon has proven challenging, even for seasoned individuals. At 44, Hegseth is just older than the youngest-ever Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld. Rumsfeld had prior experience serving in Congress, leading the Office of Economic Opportunity, and acting as White House Chief of Staff before first becoming Secretary of Defense in 1975. Both men are Princeton alumni, while Hegseth holds a master’s degree from Harvard.

Rumsfeld returned to lead the Defense Department under President George W. Bush starting in 2001, during which he pledged to make the department more efficient and flexible. However, the events of 9/11 and subsequent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq shifted the focus away from his reform agenda.

“While Hegseth has an impressive academic background and has served honorably in combat, he lacks the extensive experience typically expected for such a challenging Cabinet role,” stated Feaver from Duke University. “His most significant involvement in defense policy has been persuading President Trump to intervene in the Gallagher case and ultimately grant pardons to personnel guilty of war crimes.”

“These positions align more with those of an external partisan activist rather than the responsibilities of the Secretary of Defense, who is supposed to uphold civilian control and, together with military leaders, foster a culture of professionalism within the armed forces. This role contrasts sharply with Hegseth’s previous activities.”