Liz Wheeler, a host at Blaze TV, claims that Secretary of the Army Pete Hegseth is subtly countering what she describes as “color revolution efforts” instigated by the deep state.
According to her, the institutional left is trying to manipulate the president’s every action and decision to impose what she sees as wokeness and harmful policies—and Hegseth is a barrier to that.
On her show, Wheeler references a revealing thread from @DataRepublican that highlights the ongoing attacks directed at Hegseth.
She begins by discussing this thread shared by @DataRepublican, which claims that the relentless criticism of Hegseth is not based on personal scandals but rather his steadfast loyalty as a military leader, which prevents military and security forces from switching sides.
This strong loyalty, the thread argues, has helped thwart attempts at what they term a soft coup against Trump. The post references various academic studies, training materials, and planning documents from leftist groups that imply that successful color revolutions require neutralizing or reversing the military’s loyalty—something that Hegseth achieves by remaining loyal to Trump.
Wheeler points out two individuals, Erica Chenoweth and Maria Stephan, who are noted scholars in the field of color revolutions. They studied hundreds of regime change efforts and found that defections in security forces significantly increase the success rate of such movements.
Wheeler goes on to say, “Once you meet these women, you understand not only some of the motivations behind civil unrest but also their tactics.” She views Stephens as representing a biased establishment, highlighting his associations with organizations like the State Department and the Council on Foreign Relations.
On the other hand, Chenoweth, well-known for her work at Harvard University, formulated the “3.5% rule,” suggesting that a color revolution needs merely 3.5% of the population actively participating along with a military willing to defect.
Wheeler further claims that both Maria Stephan and Erica Chenoweth are connected to founders of the No Kings movement—an initiative that allegedly receives funding linked to George Soros.
Wheeler discusses video clips where Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg, founders of the movement, describe their protests as akin to a color revolution, emphasizing their goals and strategies.
Stephan allegedly trained the No Kings protesters, focusing on key institutional pillars like business, labor, education, and security forces to ensure success, which Wheeler claims could lead to significant societal collapse.
According to Wheeler, the framework laid out by Stephan mirrors that of Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci, who argued that revolutionaries must first obtain control of critical cultural and ideological institutions to rise to power.
@DataRepublican’s thread also points to Gene Sharpe, often referred to as the father of modern tactics for color revolutions, and his assistant Hardy Merriman, who co-authored a key training manual used in various regime changes globally.
Merriman produced a U.S. edition advising government and military officials to prioritize allegiance to the Constitution over the president, promoting strategies for quiet defections that could destabilize a regime.
This context, Wheeler argues, paints a picture of the “character assassination” attempted against Hegseth.
She notes that just 72 hours after Trump nominated Hegseth for the Army Secretary role, a document named “Democracy Handbook 2025” specifically labeled him a threat, due to his resistance to persuasion or compromise.
This handbook, she states, was put together by prominent Democratic lawyer Norman Eisen, who she claims played a crucial role in strategizing against Trump’s administration.
Wheeler indicates that this is merely scratching the surface of a broader, intricate narrative that she will explore in detail.
She continues to delve into the @DataRepublican thread, showing how these tactics are seemingly being used against Trump, asserting that Hegseth’s unwillingness to cooperate is what stands in the way of a potential soft coup.
For those seeking a fuller understanding, she invites viewers to watch the entire episode for a comprehensive exploration of these issues.
