Pete Hegseth
President Trump's nominee for secretary of defense
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UPDATE: Pete Hegseth was confirmed after Vice President Vance broke a 50-50 tie. While this was an upsetting development, it is important to remind ourselves how close these votes can be. If the three Republican senators who voted against Hegseth also vote against some of these other nominees, we only need to flip ONE MORE to prevent the appointment!
(Letter to Republican senator)
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Subject: Pete Hegseth should not be Secretary of Defense
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Dear (insert name),
I am one of your constituents, and I am humbly reaching out to you to help save our nation.
You can make your own decision regarding if any aspects of Pete Hegseth’s personal behavior should be disqualifying, but even if he were a model citizen, he should not be our next secretary of defense.
He has reportedly mismanaged two military organizations. He denigrates the role of women in our military. (To use his own words, “Dads push us to take risks. Moms put the training wheels on our bikes…We need moms. But not in the military, and especially not in combat units.”) He has made destructive claims about Islam and downplayed the severity of the violent Jan. 6 insurrection. Military officers have expressed concern about his defense of war criminals.
These claims should be thoroughly examined and create real concerns about his qualifications for the position. This man’s ideals run counter to American progress and promote divisiveness, not a united force. The secretary of defense is way too important of a role to hand to someone who, first off, may not be able to do it effectively, but also who would overhaul our armed forces due to politically motivated reasons that put our troops, our nation, and the rest of the world at risk. Seriously, what are we doing if we allow him to so prominently represent our country on a global stage?
Tens of millions of Americans voted for President Trump, while tens of millions did not. Many of us are living in a state of fear regarding what is about to happen. You may disagree with us on issues, while frequently agreeing with Trump. But you were elected to represent us, not him. If Hegseth becomes our next secretary of defense, the casualties will be Americans — Republican, Democrat, Independent — and they need your service and protection.
Your constituents are watching and relying on you to put the American people before party. Please use your position to keep us safe and our democracy strong.
Thank you,
(insert name)
(Letter to Democratic senator) ​
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Subject: Pete Hegseth should not be Secretary of Defense
​
Dear (insert name),
I am one of your constituents, and I am humbly reaching out to you to help save our nation.
You can make your own decision regarding if any aspects of Pete Hegseth’s personal behavior should be disqualifying, but even if he were a model citizen, he should not be our next secretary of defense.
He has reportedly mismanaged two military organizations. He denigrates the role of women in our military. (To use his own words, “Dads push us to take risks. Moms put the training wheels on our bikes…We need moms. But not in the military, and especially not in combat units.”) He has made destructive claims about Islam and downplayed the severity of the violent Jan. 6 insurrection. Military officers have expressed concern about his defense of war criminals.
These claims should be thoroughly examined and create real concerns about his qualifications for the position. This man’s ideals run counter to American progress and promote divisiveness, not a united force. The secretary of defense is way too important of a role to hand to someone who, first off, may not be able to do it effectively, but also who would overhaul our armed forces due to politically motivated reasons that put our troops, our nation, and the rest of the world at risk. Seriously, what are we doing if we allow him to so prominently represent our country on a global stage?
Tens of millions of Americans voted for President Trump, while tens of millions did not. Many of us are living in a state of fear regarding what is about to happen. If Hegseth becomes our next secretary of defense, the casualties will be Americans — Republican, Democrat, Independent — and they need your service and protection.
Please use your position to keep us safe and our democracy strong. Vote against confirming Hegseth, and speak to your Republican colleagues about the real threats that he poses.
Thank you,
(insert name)