Politicizing the Pentagon

Trump Draft Executive Order Would Create Board to Purge Generals

Panel could upend military review process and raise concerns about politicization of military

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https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/trump-draft-executive-order-would-create-board-to-purge-generals-7ebaa606?st=5AGvn7&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

Taking no chances on professional guard rails at the Pentagon, Trump appoints a FOX TV host who worships him as Secretary of Defense — Peter Hegseth.

Trump: “Pete has spent his entire life as a Warrior for the Troops, and for the Country. Pete is tough, smart and a true believer in America First. With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on notice – Our Military will be Great Again, and America will Never Back Down.”

Hegseth 5 days ago: “I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles.”.. VIDEO

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Author: craigcrawford

Trail Mix Host. Lapsed journalist, author & retired pundit happily promoting nothing but the truth for Social Security checks.

51 thoughts on “Politicizing the Pentagon”

  5. President Biden and Donald Trump are having lunch at the White House tomorrow, Melania said no to meeting with Dr. Jill Biden, we’re starting to get an idea of what Season Two of what “The Celebrity Appresident” would look like, the GOP is expected to win the House, Elon Musk is throwing his weight around, Trump is expected to name South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee as Ambassador to Israel, Fox & Friend Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense, and Jimmy gets an exclusive interview with Secretary of State nominee and former Trump critic Marco Rubio, Don Jr has been taking a big victory lap and regaled a fellow big thinker named Charlie Kirk yesterday, and after what was the most dramatic campaign in modern American history we take a trip down Presidential memory lane.

  6. click here for colbert’s

    President-elect Donald Trump is rewarding loyal surrogates with cabinet positions, Rudy Giuliani says he’s too broke to buy food, Americans looking to avoid another Trump term are searching for ways to move abroad, and a contestant on “Wheel of Fortune” went viral after failing to solve the puzzle.

  8. https://www.newsweek.com/vladimir-putin-nikolai-patrushev-donald-trump-russia-1984360Vladimir Putin aide has warned Donald Trump that he is “obliged” to fulfill promises he made during his presidential campaign to bring peace to Ukraine.Patrushev said: “To achieve success in the elections, Donald Trump relied on certain forces to which he has corresponding obligations. And as a responsible person, he will be obliged to fulfill them. 

    *Huh?  Does “relied on certain forces” to win the election mean there was tampering beyond misinformation?  Was that Adolf’s “secret” and why he said he already had all the votes he needed before Election Day?   Now, he is obliged to withdraw aid and let Putin do “whatever the hell he wants.”

  9. President Biden can have tRUMP arrested (SCOTUS gave him immunity, too) because Biden took an oath to uphold the Constitution, and that would include not allowing someone else to destroy it.

    Oh, no women in combat?  They ARE coming for birth control and a woman’s right to vote.  Watch out! A bunch of extremely fragile men are taking power from everyone, because they have little of their own.

    Hope I die before I get old, as the song goes, because the last term was a dumpster fire and this one is the apocalypse.  Plus, maybe then I can haunt them if there’s an other side.

  10. Adolf’s deadline for Elon & Vivek to destroy the country is July 4, 2026.  We had a good run. 250 years.  

    It’s a small world, though, and this will destroy the world economy.  

    If the shutdown in 2018 cost $11 billion because federal workers had no money to spend, and businesses who contract with the government couldn’t get paid in order to pay their bills, what in the eff do they think will happen when they start firing thousands of workers permanently? 

    I realize Asshole & Asshat don’t give a flip about human cost, but it’s going to destroy the economy.  The damage will trickle down from federal workers to everyone else.  
    Businesses will fail because their customers are now unemployed.  
    Don’t bother building vehicles, gas or EV; nobody will be buying cars.
    No vacations; tourism fails.   
    Americans not traveling abroad; business overseas are impacted.  
    Start hoarding canned goods and toilet paper now folks, because things will be nonexistent or unaffordable.

    Releasing this information before Black Friday is an interesting move. He’s declaring a war on Christmas.

  11. https://www.propublica.org/article/video-donald-trump-russ-vought-center-renewing-america-maga

    “Private videos reveal Trump adviser Russ Vought’s “shadow” plans for using the military on protesters, defunding the EPA and villainizing civil servants.
     
    .. detailed plans to deploy the military in response to domestic unrest, defund the Environmental Protection Agency and put career civil servants “in trauma” in a series of previously unreported speeches that provide a sweeping vision for a second Trump term.”
     
    They are sick.

  13. https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-lists/politics-politics-lists-worst-people-trump-orbit-second-term-1235158719-1235158719/

    “THE 12 WORST PEOPLE IN TRUMP’S ORBIT”
     
     

    ~Congratulations to all chosen from a cast of thousands.~

    This is a bit of the profile for the guy in the links above, and why are those videos finally showing up?

    “Vought, who calls himself a Christian nationalist, was previously director of the Office of Management and Budget under Trump. He has long been plotting out plans for a radically right-wing second Trump administration obsessed with imposing its will; co-authored Project 2025, the notorious agenda project led by the Heritage Foundation; and was policy director for the Republican National Convention’s official platform committee. Vought, who wrote in 2022 that Americans “are living in a post-Constitutional time,” was the subject of a hidden video sting this summer, and some of his recent think-tank speeches were leaked as well. Some notable items: Vought said he was spending 80 percent of his time on plans “to take control of these bureaucracies,” and he specifically wants to put government workers “in trauma.”

    So, you see that “Christian nationalism” has nothing to do with Jesus. This sick joke of a man wants to traumatize other human beings.

  14. https://www.newsweek.com/pete-hegseth-was-removed-bidens-inauguration-labelled-extremist-1984882

    “In January 2021 The Associated Press reported 12 National Guard members had been removed from guarding Biden’s inauguration after they were linked to “right-wing militia groups,” or found to have “posted extremist views online.”
    In a post on X, formerly Twitter, CBS News reporter Jim LaPorta said one of these 12 National Guard members was Hegseth.”

    “During his appearance on Ryan’s podcast Hegseth showed the tattoo that he claimed resulted in him being removed from guarding the 2020 presidential inauguration, describing it as the “Jerusalem Cross tattoo, which is just a Christian symbol.”

    “In recent years some right-wing nationalist groups have adopted Crusader imagery, including depictions of Templar Knights and the Crusader slogan Deus vult, Latin for “God wills it.”

    Folks, looks like Adolf has hired another white supremacist. They do seem to be popping up everywhere.

    I would expect the EU and U.K. to issue travel advisories against going to the US very soon. There go those tourist dollars. Bye.

  16. Seems to me the Trump team created a fake thing to ditch Elon and Vivek. It has no funding, no powers, is “outside government”. Trump himself probably has no idea it’s not real. I remember Reagan team doing same thing with so-called Grace Commission where they parked a bunch of his annoying rich friends to make budget cutting recommendations that got ignored.

  20. Earlier this week, however,Trump’s inner circle was abuzz that he might have a traveling companion for the trip: not wifeMELANIA, who is remaining in Florida, butELON MUSK— who privately expressed interest in joining Trump for his visit with PresidentJOE BIDEN, to the vexation of some Trump insiders.

    https://www.politico.com/playbook

  21. Musk’s plane left Florida this morning, don’t know destination though.
     
    The orange idiot gave some of his friends the VA medical system with the unstated goal of privatizing the VA medical system.  They did get some of it done.  One result was I was sued by a medical group for the VA failing to pay their bill.  Supposedly if you are in the VA medical system with a disability rating, me, ER visits are covered. Well due to paperwork squabble I was sued.  I was hours from calling my senator to join in the scrum. The VA and medical group did finally get things straightened out and the case withdrawn.  Did you know you can look up individuals in court records and see if they have ever been sued?  Sure can.

  22. I laughed at the part of Daniels’ Politico piece that said they couldn’t confirm the Trump plane manifest had Elon on it.  Seems they may be travelling together separately. I mean, Elon probably doesn’t really want to go slumming in Dumbass’ old jet.

  25. I’m all for common courtesy but surely Biden could have found a tactful way to show justified disrespect.

    Say something like “So this time you accept the election results?”

  26. Yeah, POTUS Joe should’ve pulled hand back be fire making contact and slicked his hair back.

    BB – From wiki:  “Hegseth was the executive director for Concerned Veterans for America, an advocacy group funded by the Koch brothers.[23] The group advocated greater privatization of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).[23]According to his LinkedIn page, he left the group in 2015.[23]”

    “While Hegseth was its chief executive, Concerned Veterans for America hired his brother Philip to work for the non-profit and paid him $108,000 according to tax records from 2016 and 2017.”

    It’s all part of the grift to siphon taxpayer dollars (and labor, just you wait) to MAGAts at the top.   There will probably never be another election, but I won’t be allowed to vote if there is one.

  27. Joe’s got class (not sure that comes from Claymont, nuns or no nuns.)
     
    Here is a full transcript of the few words Joe Biden and Donald Trump said to each other while reporters were present in the Oval Office.
    Biden:

    We’re looking forward to having, like we said, a smooth transition, do everything we can make sure you’re accommodated, what you need, and we’re going to get a chance to talk about some of that today. Welcome, welcome back.

    Trump:

    Thank you very much. And politics is tough, and it’s, many cases, not a very nice world, but it is a nice world today, and I appreciate very much a transition that’s so smooth, it’ll be as smooth as it can get. And I very much appreciate that, Joe.

    Biden:

    You’re welcome. Thank you all.

    At that point, reporters were asked to leave. Some shouted questions at the two leaders, but they did not answer.
     
    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2024/nov/13/donald-trump-joe-biden-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-us-politics-live

  28. It was sickening, the meeting of the orange ass and the guy with class.

    It’s a “nice world today” because Adolf lied and bullied (and Russia-ed) his way into power. 
    So interested in what was given as aid, per Putin’s nasty comrade, and if the “obligation” goes beyond handing over Ukraine. 
    Somebody needs to do the world a solid. IYKYN

  33. Weirdest cosplay, ever. Can we please stop now?  

    https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-how-change-vote-election-day-1984939

    ‘How To Change My Vote’ Searches Spike in States Won By Donald Trump

    “Iowa generated the highest number of vote-change queries, specifically in Des Moines-Ames and Cedar Rapids-Waterlook-Iowa City and Dubuque areas.

    Other states with similar high search interest include Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska and Alabama—all states won by Trump.”

    I wonder if they voted early, before the n@zi rally at MSG? which seems to be timed with a neighbor removing his tRUMPsky flags.

  35. Ha, maybe now that Trump Is proving himself a traitor by giving our intelligence community to Putin, we should take a page from his playbook and get battleground State legislatures to switch their electoral votes to Harris.

  39. If out intelligence agencies have proof of foreign state interference between tRUMPsky, Tulsi, and others, wouldn’t it be well within President Biden’s scope of responsibility to do something about said traitors?   

    POTUS Joe is not only immune, but he would be doing his sworn duty as Commander in Chief to protect our country from foreign adversaries.  

    C’mon, Joe! 
     

  41. Looking at the list of Trump proposed appointments,  It is going to be an interesting 4 years. 
    Youtube just gave me this song, Fare Thee Well Miss Carousel by Townes Van Zandt, seems appropriate
    Lyrics

    Well the drunken clown’s still hanging roundBut it’s plain the laughter’s all died downThe tears you tried so hard to hide are flowingAnd a blind man with his knife in handHas convinced himself that he understandsI wish him well, Miss CarouselBut I got to be a-goin’
     

  43. https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-election-kamala-harris-d92c61bd66f9b279d1c71d3ba2e4e8e5

    “Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz has resigned from Congress, ending an ethics probe into allegations of sex trafficking, sexual misconduct and drug use after President-elect Donald Trump nominated him for attorney general”
     

    “But the decision and timing he chose to immediately step down raise concerns about the impending, years-long ethics probe into the Florida Republican, which was expected by many, including Gaetz, to be wrapped up by the end of the year. By stepping down, the bipartisan panel no longer has jurisdiction over Gaetz, deeming the probe and the subsequent report effectively dead.”

    How convenient.

  44. Wouldn’t it be interesting if MAGAts of the midlands mounted an insurrection against tRUMPsky on J6? 

  45. OK, someone want to explain why a person in the leadership of the House majority caucus (#4 from the top according to wiki) would want to take the nothing thankless job of ambassador to the UN, a job where your main function is to stand up and look like an idiot? True, she qualifies, just by accepting the job if nothing else but you would think someone around her would say, “wait a minute girl”.
    Jack

  46. https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/11/13/2285898/-Pete-Hegseth-SECDEF-Pick-says-he-was-Separated-from-the-Army-and-Deemed-an-Extremist

    “Pete Hegseth is the 44 year old Fox and Friends co-host who was chosen to be the next Secretary of Defense…

    In his own words:
    “I joined the Army in 2001 because I wanted to serve my country.  Extremists attacked us on 9/11, and we went to war…”

    Later, he talks about what he wants to defeat:
    “The shoehorning of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), Critical Race Theory (CRT), feminism, safety ism, climate worship, manufactured “violent extemism,” straight-up weirdo shit, and a grab bag of social justice causes that infect today’s fighting force.”
     
    He says it is “treasonous” for generals to see changes and accept them, like “rainbow flags” and ism “days.”  He also says they are “cowards hiding under stars.  Whores to wokesters … who despise the institution they are supposed to be leading, but are instead betraying.”

    He was an Infantryman without a Ranger Tab.  This is a big deal for active-duty officers and would have killed his career if he didn’t earn it before reaching the rank of Captain.  For a National Guard officer, he would have been looked down on, but it is more common to not get the tab. 
    It does not look like he has experience above the battalion level.  That means that he rarely, if ever, would have had a full conversation with a general officer (other than in his other career as a Fox News contributor).  He also would have no experience at all with how the Division, Corps, Field Army, ASCCs, or the Department or the Army function.
    He left the National Guard and doesn’t say he retired.  If he started as an enlisted Soldier in 2001, he would have likely been eligible in 2021, but if he first entered as an officer in 2003, he would have been eligible in 2023 at the earliest, and later if he had a year with too few “retirement points,” which sometimes happens in the National Guard.   In his book, The War on Warriors, he used the term “separated.”  For Soldiers, this translates to “kicked out.” 

    He is really vague in his book, but it sounds like he was “separated” for “extremism.”  This would include fundraising, organizing, or attending rallies in support of extremist ideologies or organizations.  Was he part of the January 6th riot?  Did he join the Oath Keepers, Proud Boys, or other group?  

    Trump wants to do recess appointments to avoid Senate scrutiny.  However, Hegseth is not eligible, since Congress passed a law that the SECDEF has to be out of the military for seven years first.  In order for him to be confirmed, both houses have to vote to give him a waiver.  If Trump tries, Hegseth’s appointment would be held up by the courts.  I suspect that even some Republicans won’t go along with Hegseth’s appointment.”
     

    Here’s hoping, because he can go fight his war-on-woke at Fox Noise.  
     

  47. Flipped! Putin is running the tRUMPsky sh/t show!

    Well that is as good an explanation of why she would take the job as I can come up with, except as I pointed out above, just natural talent

  49. One thing good about Trumps appointments, They are all so clueless that the damage they can cause will be limited. But there will be damage, and you need to plan for it.
    Bureaucracies like the Defense department,military, the Justice department, or Treasury are very resilient. They have lots of rules and people who know how to use them. Trump’s appointees so far don’t seem that smart. crossed fingers.
    Jack

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