Trump / Musk (other than DOGE)

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However, what I can't understand is how anyone would be OK with harris as CIC but would oppose Hegseth as SOD outside of partisan politics.
I feel very confident that no one on this forum, most of whom voted for Kamala Harris to be CiC, would approve of her being appointed SecDef anymore than Hegseth.
 
You would be wrong: And anyway you were hoping to put kackling kamala the mamala as CIC. I think my judgement is more sound here. She does have a glock though so you have that going for you.

Following graduation from Princeton in 2003, Hegseth joined Bear Stearns as an equity capital markets analyst and was also commissioned as an infantry officer in the Minnesota National Guard.<a href="Pete Hegseth - Wikipedia"><span>[</span>17<span>]</span></a> In 2004 his unit was called to Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, where he served as an infantry platoon leader with the Minnesota Army National Guard. His unit was under the operational control of the 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment 101st Airborne Division. He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal. Shortly after returning from Cuba, Hegseth volunteered to serve in Baghdad and Samarra, where he held the position of infantry platoon leader and, later in Samarra, as Civil–Military Operations Officer. During his time in Iraq, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, and a second Army Commendation Medal.<a href="Pete Hegseth - Wikipedia"><span>[</span>18<span>]</span></a>[<em><a href="Wikipedia:Citation needed - Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (November 2024)">citation needed</span></a></em>]

He returned to active duty in 2012 as a captain.<a href="Pete Hegseth - Wikipedia"><span>[</span>19<span>]</span></a> He deployed to Afghanistan with the Minnesota Army National Guard and acted as a senior counterinsurgency instructor at the Counterinsurgency Training Center in Kabul.[<em><a href="Wikipedia:Citation needed - Wikipedia" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (November 2024)">citation needed</span></a></em>]

By 2015 or 2016, Hegseth had been promoted to the rank of major, and was assigned to the Army Individual Ready Reserve.<a href="Pete Hegseth - Wikipedia"><span>[</span>20<span>]</span></a>

In 2020, Hegseth volunteered as one of the up-to-25,000 National Guard troops authorized by the Pentagon to be put on active duty to protect the inauguration of President Joe Biden on January 20, 2021, but was removed from that mission because he was one of twelve soldiers "linked to 'right-wing militia groups,' or found to have 'posted extremist views online.'"<a href="Pete Hegseth - Wikipedia"><span>[</span>21<span>]</span></a><a href="Pete Hegseth - Wikipedia"><span>[</span>22<span>]</span></a> Hegseth said that he was removed from the assignment because of a "Jerusalem Cross tattoo, which is just a Christian symbol."<a href="Pete Hegseth - Wikipedia"><span>[</span>2</a>
I’m a successful private practice doc I should be surgeon general
 
I assumme the present SCOTUS has zero problems with Recess appts making policy
 
Fox News host who never made it past the rank of major for SecDef is totally fine, but this is a bridge too far, huh?

Are you starting to doubt at all the wisdom of handing the reins back to Trump? Trump is picking people everyone knows ins unqualified to test the senate's loyalty to him. Republican House members are literally saying things like "if Donald Trump tells us to jump three feet in the air and scratch our heads, we should do exactly what he says." Do you think demanding and trying to enforce personal loyalty to the President over loyalty to the country is a good thing? Trump is going to do that at every level of the government - his cabinet, Congress, and every person who works in any significant role in a government agency.
Having relatively Junior military service or no military service at all for Secretary of defense isn't really that unusual. Obama had two or three that capped out at Lts or no military service. I think Trump had one or two the first time with no military service.

It is a civilian office meant as one check to ensure civilian control of the military.

I'd be much more concerned with his relative lack of running a large organization or his denial of being allowed to provide security for Obama's inaugural due to alleged right wing links than his lack of high rank.
 
IMG_0007.jpeg

This is a graphic that shows you the chart of Army ranks. The bottom row is officers. The gold leaf? That’s the rank of our soon to be Secretary of Defense, who was mainly in the National Guard with stints in active duty. I am so curious how active duty military members view this pick.
What were the ranks of Panetta, Gates, Rumsfeld, Hagel and others?
 
"He was in the national guard. He has no relevant experience. If anyone thought he was worthwhile for anything, he wouldn't be doing weekends on Fox & Friends."

Right there.
Except he’s correct. Being an infantry major in the NG does not prep one to be SECDEF. Also, being in the NG it is odd that his day job is on weekends, because that’s the time the majority of the work gets done in the NG. His career in the NG is also obviously not going well considering he’s as old as he is and been in as long as he has and he 1. Is still just a Major (he should be a LTC by now if he was progressing on pace with peers) and 2. He has never commanded a company. His biggest leadership role is a platoon leader, which they let pretty much any newb officer do.
 
Feel free to ridicule me....I don't think Thune will let this one pass if it actually gets to "the Floor"
 
I was thinking the same @mpaer, also, he’s going to have to buck Trump on these recess appointments.

Also, Dems are going to have to lean hard on their republican counterparts to do the right thing for the country. They all took an oath to the constitution. Not to Donald Trump.
 
I think this is a test for senators. If they confirm Gaetz, that is a signal that he can get by with anything. Any Republican who steps in to reject this nomination will be attacked mercilessly.

I really think Putin is advising Trump on how to best consolidate power.

Just a (slightly conspiratorial) theory.
 
Having relatively Junior military service or no military service at all for Secretary of defense isn't really that unusual. Obama had two or three that capped out at Lts or no military service. I think Trump had one or two the first time with no military service.

It is a civilian office meant as one check to ensure civilian control of the military.

I'd be much more concerned with his relative lack of running a large organization or his denial of being allowed to provide security for Obama's inaugural due to alleged right wing links than his lack of high rank.
You are right that military experience is not per se required. But all of those people you mentioned had deep experience within the defense department and/or intelligence agencies. Panetta was CIA director, had been in the House, WH chief of staff, OMB -- Panetta knew his shit. This assclown is no more qualified for the role than me. Actually, probably less qualified, since I can get a security clearance and he cannot.

There's no "relative lack." It is a complete and utter lack of any relevant experience whatsoever. He's never run anything. He has no demonstrated skills in the work that a Sec Def has to do. Imagine this assclown trying to manage an $800+ budget. Oh my God.
 
Feel free to ridicule me....I don't think Thune will let this one pass if it actually gets to "the Floor"
I think trump wants this as a "fuck you" to his enemies. I have total confidence he would never be confirmed but I see this as a recess appointment. gaetz doesn't have the gumption to stand up to trump if need be. gaetz is smart and sort of a bull in the china shop. his approach is what trump wants to go after his enemies. he is also an adolescent who will end up flaming out in that role.
 
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