Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth once advocated for diversity in a 2013 policy brief from Harvard Kennedy School but has recently criticized the concept, describing it during the Trump administration as a “crutch” for minorities.
As a master’s degree student, Hegseth authored a 47-page paper promoting the establishment of a multicultural STEM school in Minnesota.
“Making sure low-income and minority children have equal opportunities as wealthier majority students is a crucial goal, worthy of vigorous pursuit and significant investment,” he expressed nearly twelve years ago.
He emphasized, “Our country and state must strive to provide equal opportunity to all, regardless of race, class, geography, or gender.” His proposal included input from Democratic legislators, notably the late Minnesota Congresswoman Melissa Hortman, whom the paper described as a “political champion.” Sadly, Hortman was killed earlier this year in a home invasion, a politically motivated attack where the intruder posed as a police officer.
The former House speaker was among various party members advocating for ideal school geographic allocations and attempts to ensure fairness in race, class, gender, and geography.
“If properly structured, STEM high schools could complement existing initiatives to promote women and minorities in STEM fields,” he noted in his brief.
Hegseth’s current rhetoric, which focuses on eliminating perceived “woke” policies within the military, starkly contrasts the views represented in his past work.
Just last week, while addressing military leaders alongside Trump in Quantico, Virginia, he remarked, “For too long, we have promoted too many uniformed leaders for the wrong reasons—based on race and gender quotas.” He criticized what he termed “toxic ideological garbage” that had infiltrated the sector, asserting that the administration aims to restore unity instead of diversity.
“Since this administration began, we’ve worked to remove social justice and other distractions that undermine our effectiveness. We’re done with Identity Month, DEI offices, and so on,” Hegseth stated. He maintained that promoting meritocracy is essential over adopting any “woke” ideologies.
Despite Hegseth’s earlier stance captured in the 2013 brief, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell insisted that Hegseth’s views haven’t shifted, stating, “His views in 2013 align with his current position as Secretary of the Army: Merit should overshadow woke ideology.” However, some contest that Hegseth had felt compelled to present a “bipartisan” view in his school paper, a claim denied by Harvard faculty.
In more recent years, Hegseth has distanced himself from Harvard, criticizing its educational approach. “Harvard was terrible,” he reflected in a podcast in 2024. “I’ve become an idiot.” In 2022, on the live program “Fox & Friends,” he announced his decision to return his degree, humorously inscribing “Return to sender” on his diploma.
