President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense has ignited considerable debate as liberal critics scrutinize his qualifications and use “unnamed sources” to disparage his alleged past conduct.
But Hegseth’s nomination is an opportunity this country cannot afford to miss.
I’ve had the privilege of working with Pete at Fox News for seven years, and he’s the right person to bring sanity back to our military.
Our armed forces have been derailed in recent years, taken hostage by a relentless march of wokeness — with policy decisions based on social agendas rather than military effectiveness.
But our military is not some social experiment.
Pete knows this firsthand as a soldier who served on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He understands what it takes to lead, and knows how dangerous it is when leadership loses sight of the mission.
When he recently met with Sen. Joni Ernst (the likely key vote in his confirmation), he didn’t just ask for her support — he laid out a vision for what the military should be.
After their meeting, Ernst, herself a combat veteran, hinted at her approval.
This is good news for the country.
Pete doesn’t just win people over with charisma (though he has plenty of it); he wins them over with substance.
He is committed to restoring our military’s focus, and he’s not afraid to challenge the sacred cows of political correctness to do so.
We need that desperately.
As one might expect, critics have dredged up his past and taken some of his comments out of context.
Pete has mounted a vigorous defense: In an exclusive interview with my dear friend, Fox News host Sean Hannity, Pete rightly called out the Democratic Party and the media for the show trial they are attempting.
Make no mistake about it: The media, which has become largely an extension of the Democratic Party, will lie, attack, and misconstrue the words of all of Trump’s nominees, not just Pete.
That’s, unfortunately, how polarizing our politics has become.
But I know Pete.
His integrity is unmatched, and his commitment to our country is unwavering.
He’s not in this for a line on his resumé. He’s in this because he believes deeply in the mission of the US military and its critical role in defending freedom worldwide.
That’s why he’s earned the support of veterans and active-duty soldiers alike — and of his coworkers, too.
I’m not the only one at Fox.
Far from it.
Fox News host Will Cain, another veteran, recently summed it up perfectly on his show: “Pete Hegseth is exactly what the Pentagon needs: A leader who prioritizes strength over optics and results over rhetoric.”
Jesse Watters didn’t mince words on “Fox News Primetime”: “Hegseth has the courage to call out what’s wrong and the experience to make it right.”
Kayleigh McEnany, former White House press secretary and Fox News host, added on “Outnumbered,” “He stands firm in his values, and he’s not afraid to challenge bureaucracy when it fails our service members.”
Brian Kilmeade spoke up on “Fox & Friends.”
“Pete understands the mission of the military better than anyone. He’s been there, he’s led, and he knows how to bring us back to what matters: strength and readiness.”
And Laura Ingraham emphasized the importance of Trump’s pick.
“Pete Hegseth isn’t just a choice for Secretary of Defense — he’s the only choice if we want to restore America’s standing on the world stage,” she declared.
All of this support against those notorious — and all-too-common these days in liberal-controlled establishment media — “unnamed sources.”
The stakes are too high to let this nomination get bogged down in petty politics or ideological grandstanding.
Pete isn’t about maintaining the broken system; he’s about fixing it.
He’s about taking on the wokeness that has infected the military, refocusing on readiness, and ensuring that the armed forces are prepared for the real threats we face — not imaginary ones dreamed up in think tanks.
At a time when global threats are multiplying, from an aggressive China to a belligerent Russia, we need someone like Pete at the helm.
The US Senate should confirm Pete Hegseth without hesitation.
This isn’t just about filling a role; it’s about restoring the integrity and strength of our military.
Anything less would be an affront to the men and women who serve — and to the nation they protect.
Gianno Caldwell is founder of the Caldwell Institute for Public Safety and a Fox News political analyst.X: @GiannoCaldwell
