When news broke out of the election results, half of America went into widespread grief for themselves and their loved ones. Trump’s victory has created a sense of dread and grief amongst women and LGTBQIA+ members as Trump’s beliefs and plans for the future of America directly violate their rights and freedoms. To make matters worse, Trump has elected Pete Hogseth (who isn’t even a politician, but a news host) as his defense secretary. Hegseth’s offensive and unbelievably sexist behavior is not only embarrassing for himself but for Trump too for nominating such an insecure man to work for him.

Hegseth’s primary qualification for the job seems to be his unwavering loyalty to Trump’s political agenda. Hegseth has spent years on Fox News promoting Trump’s views, even when those views contradict facts or sound policy. His vocal support of Trump’s controversial and often dangerous rhetoric on issues ranging from foreign policy to domestic military readiness, suggests that his role as Secretary of Defense would be less about safeguarding the nation’s defense and more about protecting the President’s personal and political interests.

Hegseth’s public record is also riddled with alarming statements and positions that are completely out of step with the realities of modern military service. He has been an outspoken critic of military leadership and veterans who have spoken out against Trump’s policies, often framing those veterans as “disloyal” or “liberal.”

He also has publicly expressed his sexist views on women in the military, saying women shouldn’t be in combat positions. “I’m straight up just saying we shouldn’t have women in combat roles,” Hegseth stated on a podcast last week while promoting his new book. “It hasn’t made us more effective. It hasn’t made us more lethal. It has made fighting more complicated.” His baseless claims and pathetic reasoning as to why women shouldn’t be in the military are nearly hilarious as he flaunts his foolery across the internet.

Hegseth shows his disdain towards anyone who isn’t white and male once more with his comments towards transgender women and men, saying they are “pretending” to be another sex and that it is “weird”. He attempts to rationalize his comments by relating it to military positions, saying only men should serve on the frontlines.

Additionally, Hegseth’s political commentary has at times veered into the realm of dangerous, xenophobic nationalism, with his relentless attacks on progressive politicians, immigrants, and other marginalized groups. His remarks have often sought to pit Americans against each other and stir up unnecessary drama, feeding the divisive culture wars that have increasingly shaped Trump’s approach to governance. Given the global threats we face, a Secretary of Defense needs to be someone who can unite the country and work with allies—not someone who inflames internal divisions for political gain, discriminates against female veterans, and demonstrates sycophantic tendencies to gain and secure advantages.

The appointment of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense is a troubling disregard for competence, experience, and inclusivity in leadership. Rather than selecting someone with the qualifications, maturity, and basic mental capacity for the job, Trump has chosen a figure who prioritizes loyalty to his political agenda over the nation’s security and unity. Hegseth’s track record of sexist, divisive, and inflammatory rhetoric only exacerbates the already deep divisions in American society, leaving marginalized groups—especially women and LGBTQIA+ individuals—in a heightened state of fear and uncertainty. As the country faces complex global challenges, leadership within the military and government must reflect the values of competence, respect, and unity.