Only a month in the past, throughout a Nov. 10 interview on the “Shawn Ryan Show” (two days earlier than Trump nominated him), Hegseth stated, “I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles. It hasn’t made us more effective, hasn’t made us more lethal, has made fighting more complicated.”
In 2013, Hegseth stated in a Fox Information look that ladies mustn’t serve in fight roles, as a result of the navy had not but solved the issue of sexual assault inside its ranks.
“The military has a not-so-secret problem in some ways with sexual assault and some of the things that have happened with women in the military. This is an open secret that has not been figured out. So before we go about addressing that and figuring that out, why are we opening up something that we don’t know how to control or implement?” Hegseth stated.
After the Obama administration modified the foundations in 2015 permitting ladies to serve in all fight roles, Hegseth expressed displeasure.
“Another example is military sexual assault, which is a problem. We shouldn’t be having military sexual assault. Everybody understands that. We need to be taking care of it. You think you bring women into infantry, different units, you might exacerbate that a little bit? I’m not saying that’s anybody’s fault, but that’s an unintended consequence of that priority also,” Hegseth stated in a 2016 speech to a conservative group.
Feminine veterans have spoken out about Hegseth’s divisive feedback.
U.S. Military veteran Elizabeth Beggs advised CNN, “I believe it’s incredibly divisive to water down and diminish the accomplishments that I and other women have made serving in these roles, not just to women, but to men who’ve gone through the same courses and hit the same standards, especially in a time where we should be unifying.”
Elisa Smithers, an Military Nationwide Guard veteran who was deployed to Iraq in 2005 through the struggle there, advised the outlet, “At the end of the day, in order for us to be a dynamic and agile force and the great military that we are, we’ve got to have diversity. And that includes women in our force.”
Hegseth’s look on “Hannity” is a part of a media blitz from the previous Fox Information host and commentator to save lots of his troubled nomination. Hegseth has written an op-ed in The Wall Road Journal, appeared on a podcast, and deployed his mom to talk on his behalf on Fox.
The general public-relations marketing campaign could also be working too. Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, a key Republican vote, has now indicated she might again Hegseth.
Nonetheless, the rising controversy round Hegseth has turn out to be half of a bigger story of Trump selecting unqualified people for key positions, reflecting poorly on his decision-making skill earlier than he has even been sworn in.
