The establishment is hell-bent on blocking decorated Army veteran Pete Hegseth from becoming President-elect Donald Trump's secretary of defense. Opposition from Democrats, defense lobbyists, and liberal media can be overcome. But Hegseth will need the support of most Republicans in the 119th Congress.
Sources close to the Senate confirmed to Blaze News this week that Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst is actively lobbying against Hegseth's nomination. One source suggested that Mr. Ernst is serving as a “useful surrogate” for Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and the remnants of traditional conservatives.
As they weighed possible reasons for Mr. Ernst's rush to make the nomination, critics found that Mr. Ernst had a different vision for the U.S. military. That vision is not all that different from the woke and alienating reality that has emerged under the current Democratic administration.
Turning Point USA CEO Charlie Kirk was among the critics.
highlighted In an August interview, the Iowa senator asserted the continued presence of medical cross-dressers in the military and rejected suggestions that the military was waking up. “Perhaps this is why she is leading the attack on Hegseth?” Kirk wrote.
Ernst served in the Army Reserve and Army National Guard for more than 20 years.
said In August, the famous host of PBS's “Firing Line with Margaret Hoover” said, “We have transgender people serving in our military. It will bleed,” he said.
The senator is
Recently touted ABC News reported that he is a candidate to replace Hegseth. has long been defended allow Medical cross-dressers to serve in the military, provided they meet physical requirements.
Blaze News has previously reported on new recruits with mental illnesses, people addicted to drugs, women with abnormal uterine bleeding, men with genital deformities, people with chronic anxiety and self-harm. The person who did prohibited on a daily basis Under the Biden administration, a similar ban on people who identify as “transgender” from serving in the military appears to have been relaxed.
'[The DOD] Fucked Bud Light.
Ernst told Huber that there are certain situations in which it makes sense not to integrate cross-dressers, citing the example of barring male cross-dressers who have not yet completed their sex change from the female barracks. However, the senator suggested that Trump continues to oppose previous and potential outright bans on female military personnel, saying, “If they bring value to our troops, “If we have expertise that we can leverage, especially if we want to maintain an all-volunteer force.” , we want to incorporate that talent into our services. ”
In recent years, the corresponding value proposition has been seriously questioned.
Then-Secretary of Defense James Mattis said:
February 22, 2018, Department of Defense memo “In the Department's best military judgment, the Department will permit the enrollment and retention of individuals with a history or diagnosis of gender dysphoria who require or have received gender change treatment. We conclude that there is a significant risk.” ”
said Thomas Spohr, former director of the Heritage Foundation's National Defense Center.
concluded In 2021, the Biden administration's “decision to change U.S. military policy and allow unrestricted military service by transgender individuals, regardless of whether they suffer from gender dysphoria,'' “This would have a direct negative impact on military readiness.” Deploy and carry out each mission. ”
Hegseth may be subject to a cross-dressing ban.
“I think we're on the brink of 'or get out of the pot,'” Hegseth said recently. “We're at a tipping point of complete institutional corruption, and Trump has a chance to reverse it. There is,” he said.
said “The Sean Ryan Show.” ”[The DOD] I committed to Bud Light. They sought out non-traditional voters to the detriment of their core electorate. ”
Hegseth
proposed On the podcast “Take It Outside with Jay Cutler and Sam McKee,” he said military medical cross-dressers “cannot be deployed” because they are “chemically dependent.”
President Trump's pick for defense secretary also questioned the presence of female service members on the battlefield, telling Sean Ryan, “It doesn't make us more capable, it doesn't make us more lethal. , combat has become more complex.”
“If you vote against him, there will be a primary.”
Ernst is
Support that speaks out Require women to register for draft; Voted for confirmation Gen. Lloyd Austin, President Joe Biden's nominee for secretary of defense, said, “Whether it's combat weapons or people like me supporting combat operations by transporting supplies to combat zones, women are “They are fully capable of contributing to the fight,” he said.
Ernst similarly rejected suggestions that the military was “tainted by the feeling of wokeness, a kind of social experiment,” and told Huber, “Our military is not woke. We have woke civilians in the military. I say there are leaders.'' …There is a difference between leaders and those who serve in uniform. ”
Rebecca Grant, deputy director of the Lexington Institute, said:
said Bloomberg notes that Ernst's reluctance to support Hegseth is 2017 sexual assault allegations to the Fox News host. Although the charges were never filed and Mr. Hegseth's lawyers have repeatedly stressed that the allegations are false, Mr. Grant said the candidate needed to refute the allegations once again to reassure Mr. Ernst. He suggested that there would be. It is reported that she was raped during her university days.
After meeting with Hegseth on Wednesday, the Iowa senator said:
noticed At Ta.”
Blaze TV Host Liz Wheeler
tweeted“Why is Joni Ernst a Republican senator? Supports transgender in the military. Supports gun control. Supports giving more dollars to Ukraine. Votes Democrat 38% of the time. Deadly Afghanistan withdrawal. If she doesn't vote for Pete, it's time to fire Joni.''
“This is a direct attempt to undermine the president and his voters.”
I wrote Kirk. “Pete Hegseth is the red line. If you vote against him, the primary will ensue.”
When asked if she was leading the charge against Hegseth, Ernst
said RealClearPolitics, “There is no campaign against Pete at all.”
“I just want to make sure that the process is followed and that we vet him thoroughly. I believe Pete deserves a hearing. The rumors that are out there All of this is completely false, and it is my role as a senator to ensure that any rumors or anonymous information are put to rest,” the senator continued. “All we need to do is make sure he is thoroughly vetted and has the opportunity to appear before the committee to reflect on his performance and refute any allegations.”
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