Hegseth’s Military Address: A Step Forward or Backward?

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth established new standards for the US Military in an address to about 800 senior officers on Tuesday. Among the standards is to end equity advancements for women in combat positions. President Donald Trump also made a speech, which media across the political spectrum called a ramble. 

From the Left: “If nothing else was clear, it was that Hegseth wants to politicize the military and turn it into a swashbuckling corps of bloodthirsty MAGA warriors — and at a time when the president is trying to turn the troops against American citizens,” wrote Zeeshan Aleem (Left bias) for MSNBC (Left). He called the address “outrageous,” asserting that Hegseth’s politicization was “unprecedented in the modern era — even as he repeatedly framed his actions as de-politicizing the armed forces.” Aleem also said Hegseth took the opportunity to “humiliate military brass” through criticisms of diversity and fitness standards.

From the Center: David Ignatius (Center) for the Washington Post (Lean Left) voiced specific concerns for the future of US military intelligence: “Hegseth is so intent on creating a tough military that having a smart one appears secondary.” Ignatius criticized the new “bullying and hazing” standards as what “could drive away, say, the math-and-science whiz who could design and operate future combat systems.” He said both Hegseth and Trump “seem oblivious” to the future of military intelligence and technology: “Beijing would be delighted if America focused on how many push-ups a soldier can do rather than how many computer tools he or she can use.”

From the Right: “The U.S. military has one purpose: to kill people and break things in defense of our Constitution and our way of life,” wrote the National Review Editorial Board (Right). “If implemented with both verve and prudence, Pete Hegseth’s commonsense reforms will profit the American profession of arms.” The writers took the position that Hegseth’s changes are acts of common sense that troops will appreciate. They referred to the overall event as “mundane” but also criticized Trump’s address and rhetoric as “unseemly” for the occasion. 

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