Defense Nominee Pete Hegseth Disagrees With Trump on the Iraq War
Being against the Iraq War has been one of Trump's core policy positions, and was something he leaned heavy into during his first presidential run. MeidasTouch has uncovered that Trump's Defense nominee Pete Hegseth made comments disagreeing with Trump's stance against the Iraq War.
Pete Hegseth
You read that correctly. Trump's owns Secretary of Defense nominee disagreed with one of Trump's most prominent and enduring policy positions: opposition to the Iraq War. During his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly criticized the Iraq War as a terrible mistake and an inevitable disaster.
This anti-interventionist stance was a cornerstone of his appeal to voters who were weary of prolonged military engagements. Trump used it to distinguish himself from both Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and the Republican establishment, which largely supported the war.
Pete Hegseth
However, in a May 2016 appearance on Fox News' Red Eye, Hegseth expressed clear disagreement with Trump's view. "As an Iraq vet myself, it's frustrating to watch him use the same talking points the left does about Iraq being an inevitable disaster," Hegseth said. He characterized Trump's position as one that "appeals to the center" and "center-left," and noted it was to the left of Hillary Clinton's stance on foreign intervention.
This incongruence raises questions about how closely Hegseth's policy outlook aligns with Trump's and if Trump even vetted Hegseth, who also faces allegations of sexual assault, drinking on the job, and mismanagement of funds. If confirmed, Hegseth would oversee the Pentagon and help shape U.S. military strategy, making his past remarks particularly significant.
Trump criticizing the Iraq war in 2014
Trump’s choice highlights an apparent contradiction in his personnel decisions, as he entrusts military leadership to someone who disagrees with one of his most frequently touted beliefs about military intervention. Hegseth supports the war in Iraq. Trump doesn't, but wants to put Hegseth in charge of the military. It's mind-boggling.
