Trump’s Defense Secretary Pick, Pete Hegseth, Authored Book on Pentagon’s Shift to Wokeness

President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Pete Hegseth, Army National Guard veteran and Fox News host, as his nominee for Secretary of Defense. Hegseth’s selection signals a clear shift in military leadership aimed at rooting out what he describes as the Pentagon’s “woke” transformation over the last decade. Known for his book, The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men who Keep us Free, Hegseth brings firsthand experience of a military environment he believes has been eroded by political correctness, diversity quotas, and ideological shifts.

“I joined the Army in 2001 because I wanted to serve my country,” Hegseth writes in the book’s introduction. He describes a career that took him to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantánamo Bay, only to find himself pushed out of the Army in 2021 for allegedly extremist views. In reality, Hegseth contends, he was sidelined for his conservative beliefs and Christian faith, which he claims were scrutinized by a military increasingly concerned with “extremism” among its ranks.

Hegseth’s experience reflects his concerns about the military’s evolving priorities. In interviews, he has described a systematic shift that began during the Obama administration, diverting focus from merit-based promotions, combat readiness, and unity, to new imperatives like diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), gender policies, and climate change. “The military used to be the most focused institution on meritocracy and readiness,” he explained, “but now new recruits are hit with ‘woke ideology’ during training.”

Following the death of George Floyd in 2020, Hegseth notes, Defense Department leadership accelerated programs addressing a supposed “systematic problem” of racism within the military. According to Hegseth, “The Left knows that by pushing DEI, now they’ve got black soldiers looking at white soldiers and white soldiers looking at black soldiers wondering who really deserved what or why they’re in a position, which is really toxic for an organization primed on unity.”

Hegseth recalls being excluded from assignments for having the Jerusalem cross symbol on his social media an insignia he wore in solidarity with his Christian faith. Despite his 20-year record of service, Hegseth was flagged as an “extremist” by commanders who he believes misjudged him based on his faith, his work with Fox News, and his support for Trump. “If they’ll do that to me, they’ll do it to anybody,” he said, underscoring the risks he sees in a military driven by ideological purges rather than battlefield readiness.

The War on Warriors quickly became a bestseller, moving 60,000 copies in its first week. It serves as both a critique and a call to action, resonating with those who believe the military’s foundational values have been compromised. In nominating Hegseth, Trump has made clear his goal: to strip away political agendas from the Pentagon and restore a military that rewards ability, prioritizes national security, and avoids divisive social experimentation.

As Hegseth steps into this role, his mission will be to refocus the Defense Department on strength, discipline, and cohesion, restoring the military to a force capable of defending America without distraction. This nomination sets the stage for a new era of military leadership, one that respects the dedication of our servicemembers and emphasizes the importance of unity over division.

Share this story or subscribe to our newsletter for updates on how the next administration’s military vision will impact America’s defense strategy.